when the three meet the nine
by freddie loves frodo
Summary: three school students lots of adventures very exciting. the fellowship get wished to earth and have to survive long enough to break the spell please RR. COMPLETE
1. all change

Ch 1 All change  
  
Everything was normal in the school that day, well as normal as it can get in a high school.  
  
Everything was normal in Middle Earth as well.  
  
The two places were almost peaceful. Frodo and the rest of the Fellowship had just set off on their daily trek to reach Mount Doom and were doing what they usually did, walk and not talk. It was quite repetitive sometimes. Frodo sometimes wished that there would be a big flash of bright light and transport him somewhere nice and warm and comfortable. That would be nice. He wasn't sure why he said that for his mother and father, before their untimely deaths had always taught him to be careful what you wished for. This would have been valued advice because just as he thought the last letter of his wish a great lightning bolt shot from the sky and hit the Fellowship with such energy that it should have killed them, but this being a somewhat magical place not all was what it seemed.  
  
In the school no one liked, in the corner few dared to go, there stood three lonely figures, these people, however, weren't as gloomy as the rest of the school, as it should be on a Monday morning. No, these people, one in particular was jumping around. One appeared to be shouting something at the other two. To anyone outside this special circle these things would have looked slightly strange and that it an odd thing to say about a school that it naturally strange.  
  
To understand the madness that lay in that corner, or in this case stood, a person would have to look deep into what the rubbish they were talking about meant. It would probably be good at this point to explain who these people are. There were three of them that permanently graced the corner. First there was Roberta (Bob) who's pom poms always shook around her shoulders, sometimes it seemed as if they had a life of their own, much to the amusement of the other two. Then there was Ned (?), she was the tallest of the three and was commonly known as The Question Master because of all the questions she asked (obviously). And last, but not least, was Fred (Winifred). She was also known as the "Starlight Girl" and "The Oracle".  
  
There was one thing that linked the three girls, one special gift that no one else in the school fully understood. They were all psychic. Well, Ned wasn't but she liked to think she was so the other two indulged her every now and then. Bob was well known for causing things to happen and mind reading. Once on a bight summer's day she had made it rain so hard. The whole school was fuming afterwards but she found it very funny. Her and Fred also had an incredibly strong psychic link that no one else could understand.  
  
The strong image of Strider looked somewhat out of place in the centre of Salisbury in Wiltshire. When he awoke on a park bench he instantly panicked, this was certainly no Middle Earth or Mordor. His first thought was that this was one of Saurauman's tricks, it was all just a deception but then where did all this come from? How did he get there? They were nowhere near Isenguard when. When. He didn't even know what happened. His memory was completely blank. This must be a spell he decided.  
  
Aragorn knew that he must find Frodo or at least the rest of the Fellowship. Poor Frodo, out there all on his own, that was even if he was there, this could just be a nightmare, he could just be crazy. He knew the people at Bree had always thought him a little mad but not like this. He had to find a way out. Who knows what could happen if this was a magic trick, it could be Saurauman's attempt at getting the Ring of Power.  
  
If he could only find the rest of the Fellowship, he would even take that stupid fat one, Sam right now. He mustn't talk like that it was vital that he stayed strong and brave in this strange, possibly imaginary, place and help the young Hobbit continue his quest. That was his vow after all.  
  
Aragorn drew his sword and began walking through the hoards of people that buzzed all around him. Every now and then there would be a scream as he flashed his sword at the unsuspecting b shoppers of Salisbury.  
  
Merry and Pippin were fast asleep. They lay in a comfortable bed, the last time they had felt this comfortable was when they slept in Bree, that was their last peaceful night and right then they were glad for the break from the hard ground on the road to Mordor.  
  
It was Pippin that woke first. He saw the blurred faces of about twenty people, about his size staring at him and the other young Hobbit that was now stirring in his sleep. At first Pippin thought nothing of it, in his mind it was a blessing that they were comfortable. However, this all changed when he heard the long droning voice of someone.  
  
It suddenly occurred to Pippin that this was not normal and although Aragorn was known for doing more talking than anyone else usually he woke everyone up to send them to sleep again. Pippin suddenly sat up in fright. Things that looked more like men, very tall men, had now joined the small Hobbit-sized creatures. It was odd because they were all wearing the same clothes, something that was not common in the Shire. This frightened Pippin so much that he let out a little squeal and tried to sit up. An invisible barrier that covered the young Hobbit's head abruptly halted this attempts.  
  
By this time Merry had been started awake by all the commotion that was going on. He was still in a sort of trance after being woken up for apparently no reason. Pippin was desperately trying to bring Merry back to his senses, the crowd of things that surrounded them grew even bigger, by now the tall folk far overpowered the smaller Hobbit-like creatures. Pippin was trying to work out what was going on, if only he could wake Merry up. He was a far more sensible Hobbit and would know what to do. He also knew how to stay calm in a strange situation.  
  
Merry rolled over to face the cultural mixture of people that were now blankly staring into the box that the two frightened Hobbits were confined in. Merry's eyes suddenly went wide with terror as he tried to push the distraught Pippin away from him.  
  
"What's going on Pip, where are we?"  
  
Pippin didn't answer this because it seemed like such a stupid question, if he knew where they were he wouldn't be so frightened. He sat up, just as Pippin had done earlier and banged his head hard against the transparent barrier that trapped them. The crowd of people gasped as the Hobbit bent back down in pain. Luckily his hair absorbed most of the blow and he wasn't at all hurt, although he was sure that there would be a big bump there in the next few days.  
  
Merry had learned from his mistakes and stayed low to the ground. By now he was as frightened as Pippin and this fear only escalated when one of the people from the mob moved towards the cage with what looked to Merry and Pippin thought looked like a giant key.  
  
Legolas was poised with his bow in this new place. He had awoken in a strange place with lots of brightly coloured places that vaguely resembled buildings although they were nothing like the ones he was used to. Inside these buildings were hundreds of people, they were all dressed in the strangest clothes imaginable and, as far as Legolas could see carried no weapons. Despite this he kept alert and made sure his was ready to fire if necessary. Who knows what this strange place was. He had no explanation of what happened he could only assume that this was some kind of trick or deception. He realised that he must find the rest of the Fellowship as they too could be stuck in this nightmare, that would be bad for he knew the Ring must reach Mount Doom and he was determined to get there.  
  
A dwarf in a department store was certainly not usual. Armed with an axe and the three hairs from Galadriel's head the Dwarf Gimli had attracted a certain amount of attention to the passers by that crowded into the store to see the somewhat terrifying sight. Two heavy security guards crossing the Dwarf and getting thrown across the floor soon attracted their attention. No one could quite understand what was going on, it looked like something off a bizarre television show. It wasn't the kind of thing you expected to see in the middle of the women's clothing section of Marks and Spencer.  
  
Gimli was just as confused and disturbed as all the innocent shoppers. He had woken up with tall people looking down at him in a baffled way. There was a lot of confusion by this time and the tall people that to Gimli looked a lot like the men of Gondor. The shouting was getting louder and more frequent as the thing that lay on the carpeted floor was growing increasingly more violent. The well-dressed manager had now joined the group watching and was shouting to the Dwarf that she would call the police if he didn't leave immediately.  
  
Gimli was overcome by panic and tried to run out of the closed door of the store; unfortunately he was not accustomed to glass doors. He quickly rushed away from this new, frightening place.  
  
In the library Boromir was quickly being ushered out by police officers not wishing to cause a scene in this supposedly quiet place. They were wary because they were unsure as to who this person was, of course, they couldn't arrest him for dressing in strange clothes and talking loudly in the library. That certainly wasn't an offence. They did think it was surprising that the strange man had drawn his sword (obviously made out of cardboard and tinfoil). The man had merely asked them to stand back whilst he exited the premises. This man was clearly delusional, he needed help but the police knew that this was not their problem.  
  
Boromir was certainly causing a stir in Salisbury and it was hardly surprising, a man wielding a sword, dressed in odd clothes threatening to kill the one who put a spell on him. This certainly was out of the ordinary behaviour according to the innocent people of Salisbury.  
  
Boromir knew he must find the others; they could be in grave danger.  
  
Gandalf had not known what happened. It seemed that there was a sudden flash of light and then he ended up in this bizarre place. It was a huge building, although it resembled nothing that the wizard had ever seen. There was a platform on which was placed many strange things that did not exist in Middle Earth. Some were recognisable though, an oak table stood in the centre, to a human it would look big but compared to Gandalf it was surprisingly small. Whatever this place was it was definitely not the time of a wizard. In his mind Gandalf tried to work out where he was, and already was coming up with theories on how he got there and how he was going to get back. The answer to the last question would be the hardest.  
  
Gandalf hoped that the Ring-bearer was not alone in this strange land that would be a disaster. He decided he must find an exit, there had to be some way out of this great hall. Yes, there was a door. He pushed it open with all his strength, although right then that wasn't much. He smiled at the thought that he had found a way out, his smile faded and his face turned to fear as an alarm went off so loud that it nearly deafened him. He ran to escape the noise. Eventually it faded into the background, then he noticed that there was a far bigger problem. This was a whole now world and he was sure that it couldn't possibly be a good one. 


	2. big surprise

Ch2  
  
Another boring lesson for Bob, Ned and Fred. Bob and Ned were sitting through a fascinating lesson of chemistry, learning all about the periodic table and atoms, things that Fred couldn't possibly understand. She was in English, one of her favourite lessons, learning all about the English language, in other words, poems. This to Fred was the most boring part of the course. She envied all the people sitting at home not doing very much. She would even have liked to be sitting in chemistry with her friends; at least they'd have something to talk about. But no, she was sat in English with Mark talking to her about some unrelated subject. Half the time she wasn't listening. She used a technique her and Bob had invented when listening to Ned talking. Smile and nod. It worked perfectly as Mark thought he was being listened to whilst Fred could think about The Lord of the Rings and think up plots to persuade her parents to let her go and see it one last time.  
  
**  
  
In the chemistry lesson Bob and Ned were talking, as usual about The Lord of the Rings and Ned was spurting out her usual line of questions for Bob to answer. Every now and then they would look up at the despairing teacher and nod as if they understood perfectly what was going on. They really wished Fred could be there as well it was much more fun, plus she could do her trademark jumping. She was well known for that.  
  
Suddenly, mid question Ned started staring off into space. This was no surprise to Bob who had seen it happen so many times that she was used to it. Great, now she had no one to talk to at all. She sighed and started to actually pay attention to the lesson, every now and then looking over to Ned to see if she had awakened from her trance. Bob thought about using the pom poms against her but that punishment was reserved only for when she was really angry. Sometimes they had a mind of their own and even Bob couldn't control them. Ned and Fred had often said that they were the most dangerous weapons in the world.  
  
Bob began to stare out of the window and imagine Elijah walking across the tennis court but instead she came up with the image of Frodo and Sam, she knew she had a good imagination but this was a little too clear, it was as if they were really there. But that was impossible; there was no way that that would ever happen. This was just her imagination going into overdrive. For a moment she feared she was turning into Ned but she quickly dissuaded this theory when Frodo didn't drop down dead.  
  
Bob blinked to see if the image would disappear but it lingered for a while. The two figures that were making Bob increasingly uneasy suddenly dropped to the floor; Bob couldn't see why so she assumed that the images were just a fragment of her imagination. She breathed a sigh of relief; she was not turning into Ned after all. Just as Bob was about to get back to her work the two images appeared again. Bob gasped as the two Hobbits started walking towards the classroom she was in. Bob couldn't believe she was seeing this, surely this wasn't possible. Frodo and Sam couldn't be in Salisbury. Although sometimes Bob wished they were real in her heart she knew that they weren't. She glanced over to Ned to see if she had noticed anything that had been going on but like always she was looking blankly at the table as if she were in a trance but now she had a smile on her face. Bob knew that this meant she was thinking up ways to hurt Bob in her next fanfiction. Bob really hated it when she did that.  
  
Bob tapped Ned's arm, at first there was no response but then Ned seemed to come out of her thinking state, she quickly shouted out some random word she had learned in chemistry. The whole class looked up and laughed at Ned knowing what she was like, this was not the first time Ned had one of her outbursts and by now the class were used to it.  
  
Bob tried to get Ned to listen to her, it was a hard task because Ned had a habit of not listening to anything Bob or Fred said, this was certainly not the time for Ned to ignore Bob. She was becoming increasingly excited at the fact that her favourite fictional characters were looking into her science window. This was the stuff that Bob often dreamed of. And she really did, she often thought of Frodo and with the help of Fred they could conjure up a really vivid image of him walking across the car park. Fred and Bob were psychic and could often tell what each other were thinking. Sometimes Ned wished that she had the same powers but that certainly wouldn't fit in with the theory that Bob had recently devised to explain their bizarre connection. Her theory was that they were reincarnated twins. Bob really believed this but Fred was doubtful.  
  
Ned suddenly came back to sense, well as sensible as Ned could get anyway. Bob was speaking so quickly so that Ned could hardly understand what she was saying. Ned looked completely bewildered as to what Bob was talking about. The pom poms were now swinging wildly Bob's shoulders and Ned feared that they might hit her.  
  
Bob was still wildly trying to attract Ned's attention and she was beginning to get really angry. She had to use all her mental strength to control the pom poms. Ned started paying attention when Bob said something about fanfiction, hobbits and school. Ned was desperately trying to understand what she was saying but Bob was beginning to get hysterical.  
  
Finally Bob calmed down a bit so Ned could finally understand what she was saying although it made little sense. She heard something about Frodo and Sam being in school. Ned was desperately trying to work it out in the fear that Bob might hurt her. There was certainly a Sam in the school but she didn't remember anyone called Frodo. In fact, the only person with the name Frodo was in The Lord of the Rings. But he was a fictional character and there was no way he could be there. Was there?  
  
Bob and Ned got up and ran out of the classroom. The teacher, who had been keeping track of the odd conversation didn't bother shouting out or running after them.  
  
**  
  
In the ever-boring English lesson the teacher was droning on about discourse and lexis. Fred was trying to concentrate on the lesson but at the same time thinking up ways to kill Ned. Ever since year eleven they knew that Ned had been secretly taping their conversations and keeping them for future reference.  
  
Fred was shocked when she had a sudden urge to see what Ned and Bob were doing. It was not the first time she had a feeling that something was happening that she should know about. Fred was not like Bob and Ned she couldn't just walk out of her lesson so she sat there and tried to push the feeling to the back of her mind, she found this almost impossible though.  
  
At the end of the lesson she practically ran out and tried to find her two friends. By now she was sure something was different especially when she got to the corner and found nothing there. She couldn't understand where they were. They always met at the wall. Why wouldn't Bob wait for her? Fred had a feeling that Ned had something to do with it; she had a habit of distracting Bob.  
  
Just as Fred was about to give up and go off to find them Ned's head poked around the doorway and she tried to attract Fred's attention it wasn't working very well. Fred was so busy trying to work out what was going on that she didn't even notice Ned until she shouted at her.  
  
"Come quick, we've found something." Ned's voice was very quiet, something that was quite rare and didn't happen very often.  
  
Ned led Fred into the classroom on the top floor of Wyvern. For a minute Fred thought all this was just another one of Ned's practical jokes.  
  
The classroom they entered was very dark in fact it looked like they had sealed off the whole room. All the blinds were shut and the door and windows locked. They would be in so much trouble if the headteacher were to come in and see this. Fred was beginning to get quite worried at this point, she was used to Ned doing strange things but not Bob. She was always the sensible one of the group.  
  
Inside the room there were two shapes that resembled people only they were smaller than you would expect in a high school. This sight made Fred very nervous, she didn't want to know what Ned had done this time. This was always the way things happened, Fred was always the last to know if anything was going on.  
  
Fred moved towards the two figures slowly not wanting to interrupt anything that was going on. There were low and quiet whispers as though the two people were afraid of being caught. The voices got even quieter as Fred came further into the room.  
  
She searched the room with her eyes, she was expecting something to jump out of the dark and scare her but nothing happened, this worried Fred even more.  
  
Suddenly a thought came into her head, maybe it was Bob and Mark, he was the smallest person in the school and he was male. That must be it she thought proud at being able to work it out. The problem was her explanation didn't make sense, why would Bob and Mark be sat in a dark classroom together?  
  
Fred decided to turn the light on and get a better look of whoever was back there. She reached over to the light switch, she was worried about what she would find but at the same time excited about what was hidden.  
  
She flicked the switch on and bright light filled the room to reveal what lay inside. It was such a shock that Fred couldn't even speak, she simply fell to the floor and darkness over took her.  
  
**  
  
The manager of Marks and Spencer was still chasing Gimli. The man had called the police after Gimli had destroyed a range of women's clothing worth over two hundred pounds. The fuming manager was quickly catching up with Gimli who was now not far in front of him. The Dwarf was trying to get away but he knew he was no good over long distances. He was tiring quickly and he hadn't even reached the end of the road yet. He knew that he couldn't go on much further. He hoped that the enraged manager would stop chasing him soon.  
  
Gimli really couldn't understand what the man was so concerned about anyway. It wasn't like he was trying to destroy anything important; they were just strange materials that had odd looking patterns on them. No Dwarf would ever be seen wearing things like that. He glanced back at the manager and tried to keep running at the same time. This didn't work and it only succeeded in slowing him down more. He knew he was no match for a fully grown clothes salesman. There was no way he could outrun him.  
  
With this in mind Gimli stopped suddenly and drew his axe. If he couldn't run at least he could fight. The manager stopped when he saw the gleaming axe. He froze not being able to move but wishing he could run away.  
  
Across the street a young girl was crying at the sight of the crime taking place. This triggered something inside the manager and he suddenly leapt forward and jumped onto the Dwarf and grabbed the axe.  
  
Men in strange uniforms grabbed him whilst another took away his precious axe, there was nothing he could do about it for the hands that were holding him were strong.  
  
The police car drove off with Gimli the Dwarf in the back and a distraught manager shouting behind it about the damaged goods. Gimli was taken to yet another strange building where he was stripped of him own clothes and given pieces of material to wear. He was then taken to a room from which there appeared to be no escape. The bars on the windows and the door were the only way he could see outside the cell.  
  
**  
  
Back in the school Ned and Bob were trying to bring Fred back to consciousness. She had fainted when she had seen the two hobbits sat on the table. They were now crowded into a corner not really sure what to do and afraid that someone might find them and hurt them. The lights were now off and the doors and windows locked again.  
  
Finally Fred woke up, much to the relief of the two students who were beginning to get a little worried about her. She immediately sat up and stared at the corner where Frodo and Sam were sitting. She still couldn't believe her eyes, this just wasn't possible. Bob already knew what Fred was thinking.  
  
"They are real, honestly and they are who you think they are." Bob was still keeping her eye on Fred because she was very pale and looked slightly confused.  
  
Fred walked over to the corner and looked down at the two figures that were now gently shaking with fright. She smiled at them and bent down so she could see them better but she didn't want to frighten them any more.  
  
"It's okay, you're safe here." She reassured them. This seemed to work and they stopped shaking a bit.  
  
Fred went over to Bob and Ned. She looked back once again at the corner just in case she was dreaming. Suddenly the school bell went and it was so loud that that the Hobbits cowered into the corner with fright. Bob ran over to them and tried to tell them that it was all right.  
  
" Are you out of your mind?" Fred asked in a hushed voice. "Was this your idea?"  
  
"Of course not!" Ned exclaimed trying to plead her case with Fred. "Bob saw them when we were in chemistry, we couldn't just leave them out there so we brought them in here. There aren't any lessons in here so I thought this would be a good place to keep them safe."  
  
"Well they can't stay here too long. Someone's bound to come in here sooner or later. You know that. Besides they have no where to sleep and nothing to eat."  
  
"I know that." Ned interrupted a little annoyed at Fred's negative statements.  
  
"Are you sure they're real?" Inquired Fred still a little suspicious. "I mean are they really Frodo and Sam?" Fred said these last two words in a hushed voice for no particular reason.  
  
"I think so. They seem to know everything about the Shire and the War of the Ring. I think Frodo'd carrying the Ring."  
  
"Ned, you know all those things too and you also have a ring but that doesn't make you Frodo does it?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Tell me what happened in the Last Alliance of Men and Elves." Fred said.  
  
"Well, it all started when."  
  
"You see? Anyone could find out about that stuff."  
  
"Their friends are here too. In Salisbury I mean. The entire Fellowship Fred. Can you imagine? Just roaming about in the streets, nothing to hold them back."  
  
The two friends looked at each other in a concerned silence. They thought about the Fellowship in a new and frightening place. They had weapons as well. That would certainly not good in the middle of Salisbury.  
  
Fred was looking even more bewildered now. She wondered if anyone had noticed they were missing yet. They had to get back to their lessons soon, they couldn't afford to be caught. Fred knew they had to help the Hobbits and Ned was thinking the same thing.  
  
None of them had any idea what to do. Ned turned to the voices in her head hoping they might give her inspiration. Nothing.  
  
After a few more minutes thought Ned shook her head towards the other two. This was the first time the voices had let her down and for a moment she was worried. Ned sighed with relief when the voices started arguing again and sighed.  
  
Fred was getting even more impatient and shoved past Ned to show her anger. This made Ned jump, she didn't like it when Fred got angry. Fred knew she would have to think of something. A sudden flash of inspiration flashed through her mind and she decided to follow it. She knew what they had to do. She asked Bob to call her older sister and tell her to come and pick them up.  
  
Now all they had to do was get out of the school without being spotted. All the students and teachers were in lessons so it wasn't too much of a problem. They had a plan and now all they had to do was follow it. That part wouldn't be quite so easy. 


	3. a good thing?

Aragorn was walking along the concrete path not really knowing what was going on. He decided that the best thing to do was to search for the rest of the Fellowship, that was the most important thing. He had to know that Frodo and the Ring were safe. He had sworn to protect him. So far he had not done a good job. He knew the Ring had influenced some of the members of the sacred Fellowship already and he also thought he knew who they were but he dared not confront them. If only Gandalf were with him they could find an easy way to get out of this place, what could Aragorn do anyway? He was just a man. A skilled tracker and warrior no doubt but he possessed no magic or knowledge about how to end a spell of this strength. For he was convinced that it was an evil spell created by Saruman the White. Only he could do something so terrible and cruel.  
  
Aragorn was now in a deserted place that looked surprisingly like a tunnel they had faced in the Mines of Moria. It wasn't as dark as it seemed to be lit by some new form of firelight although it looked nothing like anything he had ever seen. There was something about this place that made Aragorn feel very uneasy, he knew that whatever this place was there was something dark and wrong about it. Despite these feelings he thought that there was nothing he could do but carry on down the tunnel and hope that he would find the answer to his questions. He stepped into it and to his surprise nothing happened. Only the echo of his boot on the floor broke the silence. The tunnel seemed to go on forever.  
  
The light that had seemed to him to be magic almost blinded him when he looked directly at it. It was certainly magic, there was nothing in the world that could generate light without fire.  
  
Despite his unease, Aragorn believed that the only thing he could do was to keep walking, he owed it to Frodo. He had not come this far to be stopped by a mere tunnel. As he took another step he heard a sound coming from the other end of the tunnel. He froze suddenly; hoping that whatever it was was not disturbed by the sound of his footsteps. It wouldn't be the first time he had awoken something terrible in the dark places of the world. He could not afford to be delayed now; his friends could be in trouble. He drew his sword; this made an even louder noise than his footsteps had. He thought it was a bit late to be worrying about that now. Whatever was down there would be coming into sight at any minute; he had to be prepared to fight.  
  
Unwilling to wait for the monster to come to him he took a step forward no longer worried about the sound of his footsteps. He took another step until he was running down the tunnel, the lights now rushing past him. After a while he wondered why he had not yet met with the thing that lurked at the end of the tunnel, this was very strange. For a minute he stopped and listened for the sound of a howl or a wail, anything that would tell him that it still hunted him. There was just an eerie silence that disturbed him even more. He began walking again, this time more cautiously, unwilling to start running again despite his natural instinct.  
  
Aragorn had only walked a few metres when he heard a sound similar to his own footsteps on the ground. He lifted his sword once again. Where he expected a demon or monster to emerge there was just a man dressed in the worst clothes he had ever seen. They had clearly not been washed for a long time and were far too small for him. The person himself was not very big at all, in fact, it looked to Aragorn like the man had not eaten for a long time. He reminded him of the poorest people in Gondor. The old man limped past Aragorn, barely even looking at the weapon he held aloft. Aragorn could tell that this man must be the poorest person in this strange and cruel world, for it was truly cruel if suffering like this was allowed to happen. Aragorn turned round to watch the man leave, he was now talking to himself in a way that Aragorn couldn't understand. How could the White Wizard create such a terrible place with so much suffering Aragorn asked himself quietly.  
  
Knowing there was nothing he could do for the people that lived in this bizarre place, Aragorn replaced his sword and started walking down the tunnel, now determined to reach the other end. For some reason he suddenly thought of what Arwen would say about this place. She would undoubtedly call this an adventure. Aragorn smiled at the new picture in his head.  
  
This smile faded when he emerged from the tunnel. He was greeted with the loudest sound he had ever heard. There were demons, thousands of them all running about. The strangest thing was that there were people inside them, as if controlling them. Aragorn wished this was all just a nightmare and prayed that the others were not in this new and terrifying place.  
  
**  
  
Merry and Pippin were sat in the nicest inn they had ever seen. There was so much food would have had to stay there all day just to get through half of it. There were several of the people in the strange uniforms looking over them but since they were released from that transparent cage they didn't seem nearly as threatening. The two hobbits were now tucking into their third plate of food from the museum restaurant. The guides who had released them had immediately asked them many questions and afterwards had offered them all the food and drink they wanted, and of course, being hobbits they couldn't resist.  
  
Pippin had been the most frightened out of the two but he had no stopped shaking and was tucking into a wonderfully big portion of cottage pie. Him and Pippin had been surprised that they were still alive but also glad that they were. After all they would have been little use to Frodo and the rest of the Fellowship if they were dead. These people didn't seem to want to hurt them though so they had grown quite relaxed over the past few minutes. They had been a little disappointed when the tall people had told them that they hadn't seen anyone else from the Fellowship. The hobbits wished that they could see their cousin again.  
  
All these feelings were distracted by the amount of food that was not laid before them. But they still knew that they would have to leave this comfortable and fairly safe place and face this new world. They owed that to Frodo. They had made a promise to Elrond and his council anyway. It would be wrong to ignore that responsibility now.  
  
After they had finished the enormous meal, they sat back in their chairs and sighed with contentment. They noticed that all but two of the uniformed people had gone, the two that remained were speaking in hushed voices at the other end of the hall, in the eyes of a hobbit this small canteen looked like a great hall. The two people stopped arguing when they noticed the hobbits looking over at them. They smiled and asked them if they would like anything else. Merry and Pippin shook their heads, beginning to get a little anxious again. They had a feeling that something very bad was going to happen soon and with no one to help them if they did get into trouble, they feared what would happen to them. They wished they had Aragorn, Legolas or even Boromir with them right then. They would certainly know what to do; they were warriors and could easily get out of this place if necessary. Merry and Pippin were just hobbits they were completely vulnerable. These tall people were far too strong for them and they knew that and it terrified them.  
  
One of the tall people walked over to them, she put her arm around Pippin and felt him shaking.  
  
"Don't worry, you're not in danger. I'm going to take you to my home and take care of you. Is that okay. I promise I won't hurt you."  
  
Pippin nodded and Merry agreed. They could hardly say no, she was far taller and stronger than them. Pippin was no longer afraid of this particular person, she seemed kind and he felt safe with her. It was the first time he had felt really safe and he wished that she wouldn't remove her arm from around his shoulders. She felt this in him and kept her arm in place. The young hobbit sighed in relief that they could finally trust someone. That would be a great advantage in this place after all the strange things that had happened to them so far this day.  
  
Merry was not thinking about the woman keeping him safe but that she might be able to help them find their friends although he was far too tired to worry about anything now. He yawned. His eyelids now felt heavy and he longed for his nice soft bed to go to sleep in. The tall woman noticed how tired they both were and told the tall man that she would take them home and look after them, give them more food and somewhere to sleep. The hobbits were very grateful for this and wanted to go instantly. They were led outside where there were many strange things at the side of a road, they were like nothing the hobbits had ever see either in the Shire or on their travels and they had seen quite a few times. The woman beckoned them to climb into one of the strange things that appeared to move on their own. They did as they were told, not arguing at all with the woman, they realised that they trusted her completely. She put bands of material around them and climbed into the front of the machine, she must have said words that the hobbits didn't hear because the thing suddenly started roaring and then slowly moved forwards. The hobbits grabbed the sides of the thing and held on even though they were only going very slowly. It felt like a ride in a cart but much smoother. After a while the motion of the thing made the hobbits very sleepy and they settled into a peaceful doze. They did not hear the woman saying that the name of the machine was a car. They also missed a man looking very out of place walking down the pavement.  
  
**  
  
Boromir was trying to figure out where he was. It looked completely unfamiliar and he didn't even have any sense of direction. He was the son of a great leader and he was lost. He never got lost. If only he had the Ring, it would surely guide him out of this place, yes it would know what to do. If only the stupid hobbit had given it to him at the Council of Elrond, none of this would have happened. He tried to contain his anger as he walked along the paved street. He was now sure that this was no place the men of Gondor had ever ventured before and he did not want to be the first.  
  
Boromir had been walking for a few minutes but already he was finding that this journey was beginning to get very tiring. He had to find somewhere to set up camp, maybe start a fire. He figured it would be best to find somewhere secluded where no one could find him. His experience in the reading hall had shown him that there were things here that were different from where he lived. This was nothing like Gondor or anywhere he had been. At that moment he actually thought that he would prefer to be in the Mines of Moria again being chased by the Balrog. At least he could do something there, he knew what he was fighting. At least he was fighting. In this place no one seemed to be fighting. He didn't even think there was a war going on there. He wondered what kind of place this was.  
  
He looked up at a massive structure that resembled a tower of some kind. There was a big sign on it but in the dark Boromir couldn't read it. He was sure that he could find shelter under there. There appeared to be an entrance to it as well, a small arch that showed a lit place, it would surely be for weary travellers. Finally there was something familiar about this place. Maybe things would start going right from now on. He headed towards the lights. When he entered the bright lights temporarily blinded him. When they stopped hurting and some sight came back he froze. He was right this was a shelter, but not for people but for dragons. Hundreds of them all in rows. They looked like they were sleeping but Boromir was still completely silent. He couldn't believe this. Surely someone knew they were here. He couldn't just leave them, they were dangerous and he had always been told that all dragons needed to die. He drew his sword and walked towards the first one. It was a purple colour. A strange colour for a dragon but everything was strange in this place.  
  
Even thought Boromir had made a considerable amount of noise nothing stirred in the cave. He decided he would take a closer look as this was something new to him. There were dragons in Middle Earth but nothing like this. He noticed something very strange about these dragons, they were see- through. There were things inside them, objects that Boromir could not identify. He had never seen a dragon before but he was pretty sure they weren't anything like this.  
  
They certainly couldn't stay there. They must all die. He raised his sword and kept expecting them to all awake at once and charge at him yet not one stirred. He brung his sword down hard on the dragon's back and quickly retreated to be ready when it dived for him. It still didn't move. Nor did any of the others. Boromir struck it again, this time harder but instead of waking up the dragon's see-through parts shattered. It suddenly started making the strangest noise. This startled Boromir. He stood back trying to figure out what was going on. He had never seen anything like this before. He struck the dragon again and made a dent in its back. He could not understand why it was not fighting back or why none of the others were awoken by its cries.  
  
Out of the blue a man came running towards the dragon. He stopped and looked up at Boromir with an angry look on his face. He dived towards the dragon and started inspecting the damage. Boromir was very confused by this time. He put his sword away and started walking away. He couldn't believe it. These people kept dragons as pets. He knew this was insanity. They were the most dangerous things in the world and people were looking after them.  
  
The man that had been looking to the battered dragon was walking towards Boromir. He suddenly pounced on him before Boromir could get out of his way. He held him to the floor and waited. This was surely it. He would feed him to his dragon.  
  
This was not what happened, however. Another one of the tame dragons came towards them at quite a speed, a man got out of it. They used them to ride as well. Boromir couldn't believe what he was seeing; did they not know how dangerous dragons could be? The man from inside the creature walked over to the pair of them that were on the floor. He pulled the man off of Boromir and pulled him up to face him. The man started talking to him but Boromir was far too distracted by the dragon that was waiting patiently for his master to return.  
  
The man himself was wearing strange clothes and a hat, he also carried a weapon and resembled the person that had chased Boromir out of the reading hall. The man put a pair of handcuffs on Boromir and led him towards the dragon. Boromir knew exactly what was happening, they were going to feed him to their dragon. He couldn't believe it. He started struggling to get away from the man. Eventually the man had to let go. Boromir was just too strong for him. Boromir knew that he would have to run past the dragon; surely it would chase him on his master's command. As he sped past it he noticed that it had words on it they spelt "POLICE". Boromir recognised the letters but not the word, he wondered if this was what the man in uniform had named his dragon.  
  
To Boromir's surprise, the dragon did not follow him but it just sat there, perhaps it only ate the things its master brought it. That must be it. He wondered how the men had been able to tame their dragons, he wished he knew for that knowledge would be of great value to Gondor. The man in uniform was still chasing Boromir, he had not yet summoned his dragon though. This seemed very strange to Boromir as it would have been far quicker, not that he wanted to be swallowed by a dragon. He was trying desperately to get these restraints off. He thought maybe his sword might help, he looked for it on his belt but found nothing but the horn of Gondor there. That would be no use because he had no one to summon. Besides he might wake more of the dragons.  
  
Boromir knew that he could do nothing without his sword so he stopped suddenly and waited for the uniformed man to catch up with him, he must have his sword. The man soon caught up with him but before he could do anything Boromir was attacking him. He pushed the man to the ground and held him there until he found what he was looking for. His sword. He pulled it out quickly and held it to the man's throat. He was about to finish him off when he heard the wails of more dragons coming in his direction. He jumped to his feet and ran as fast as he could. He did not want to be fed to anything whilst he was here and he knew this meant not getting caught.  
  
Boromir kept running despite his exhaustion. He knew that if he stopped he would be caught. The streets were now bathed in a pale orange light that gave them a firey look, this frightened Boromir even more and encouraged him to keep running. After a while he reached a part of the street that was still black, surprisingly this looked safer that any other place he had been to yet. He glanced behind him to see if he was still being chased. He wasn't looking where he was going and so bumped into a person who also seemed to be in hiding. She fell to the ground and he fell with her.  
  
He quickly got up when he realised what he had done. The woman staggered to her feet and shook her head as if to clear away the dizziness. Boromir was feeling increasingly unsteady on his feet as well. The woman turned around and looked at Boromir, the anger that was on her face instantly turned to sympathy when she saw the exhausted man swaying uneasily from side to side. She grabbed ahold of his waist to support him but didn't say anything to him. She led him away and he did not object. 


	4. a bus ride and a little green man

Ch 4  
  
Ned looked around trying to act like a James Bond style spy. Unfortunately it wasn't working very well, in fact Bob and Fred thought it was attracting more attention than just walking through the school. Fred grabbed Ned's arm and pulled her from the corner where she was now peeking forward. She gave Ned a fierce look and silenced her complaints. She was really starting to annoy Fred and she was beginning to think that she had made a mistake tagging along with Bob and Ned.  
  
Frodo and Sam walked behind the three students hoping they knew what they were doing, if only Aragorn was with them, he'd know what to do. Frodo had a suspicion that the three people had no idea what they were doing, especially the tall one. Frodo didn't see how any of this could be happening. It all seemed impossible.  
  
Frodo wondered where they were. The three students hadn't been much help and hadn't told them anything. Frodo had heard something about a school but it was nothing like the schools in The Shire. Sam and Frodo had never seen anything like it, it frightened them a lot, not knowing where they were. They wished they were back in Middle Earth, they had expected that it would be a bad journey but they never thought this would happen.  
  
They finally reached the school gates and Ned, Fred and Bob prayed that there wasn't a teacher there. There was no way they could talk their way out of a situation like that. They ran quickly down the steep hill making sure the two Hobbits were behind them all the way; they could afford to lose them now. In the distance a silver car came up the road and came towards them quickly when it spotted them.  
  
All of them were relieved except the Hobbits who were too scared by the strange thing to move.  
  
The car stopped by them and they forced the Hobbits to get inside. They received a little resistance but no too much in their current situation anything was better than being caught. When they were all in the car sped off, the driver, Bob's older sister, was asking them questions that they just couldn't answer.  
  
They soon reached the bottom of the hill and Bob's sister, Marie, asked them which way she should go, to the town or to the country. Despite Frodo and Sam's protests that they should head for town and try and find their friends the three students knew that they had to protect the Hobbits and the best place to do that was in the country. They headed away from the town.  
  
**  
  
Gimli moved restlessly on the hard bench that was meant to be a bed. It didn't feel like a bed to him. It was just a bench with a single pillow and a thin sheet. Gimli was sharing a cell with another criminal who was a lot taller and stronger than he was.  
  
Gimli was angry with the people that put him in the cell and although he didn't want to admit it he was scared as well. He felt weak and vulnerable in this place. He never realised how much he relied on his weapon but now he didn't have it he wished he did. It would be far easier to get out if he had it. He wished that he could break through the bars, he had gotten out of worse situations than this but now he felt helpless.  
  
Gimli screamed at the guards every time they went by hoping they would pay some attention to him but they all ignored him and this just made him shout louder. He knew there must be some way out of the cell it was just a matter of finding it and that was the hard part.  
  
**  
  
Legolas was learning fast in this new environment, he knew that as long as he didn't speak to anyone then they would leave him alone. He didn't want to attract too much attention to himself. He knew his friends would have made quite a show in the town and he didn't want to be the same. He was a skilled tracker and so he knew that in this place there was little chance of finding his friends on foot.  
  
Legolas had recently discovered something that might help him. When he had first seen the things that ran along the roads they had frightened him but now he had become accustomed to them and had worked out that these people for transport were using them. If only he had one. It would certainly save time.  
  
After a while of walking Legolas came across a red pole with some sort of sign. He didn't know what it meant but there were several people queuing at the pole. Legolas decided that it might be a good idea to ask them what this place was. It would be worth the risk to help his friends. He picked out one of the people that didn't look quite so threatening. He chose an elderly woman.  
  
"Excuse me," Legolas didn't sound his usual confident self, " what is this place?"  
  
The woman didn't hear at first but when Legolas repeated the question she said,  
  
"Ahhh, is it your first time in Salisbury, dear?" She smiled again.  
  
Legolas nodded not really understanding what she was saying. Sometimes he wished he had the power of Galadriel, being able to read minds would have been very helpful in a place like this.  
  
The woman seemed to drift off for a while but then she came back and smiled again at the Elf.  
  
"This is the queue for the bus, dear." She smiled yet again and Legolas was beginning to get a bit concerned.  
  
He didn't have the same people skills that Lord Elrond had nor the patience his father had.  
  
"The bus?" He questioned. "What's the bus?" The woman laughed and turned around and went back to her vacant staring. Legolas was convinced that he should have chosen someone better.  
  
He decided that he had no choice but to get onto this thing called a bus so he just waited with the other people. He looked around trying to figure out what this place was, all around him were bright colours and hundreds of people were buzzing around him seemingly aimlessly.  
  
Legolas hoped his friends were all right. He hoped they were back in Middle Earth continuing the quest without him.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by the roaring sound of the bus. It was huge, bigger than any cart Legolas had ever seen. It was bright red in colour and made so much noise. It had two levels and there were already people inside.  
  
The bus opened its doors and the people streamed in each stopping for a second to give something to the driver. When Legolas reached the man that appeared to be operating the thing he just walked straight past. The man grabbed Legolas by the arm and pulled him back. Legolas resisted the urge to reach for his bow in such a public place. The man told Legolas to pay. They had no form of currency in Middle Earth so Legolas had no idea what he meant. He shook his head.  
  
The man was about to throw him off the bus when a young woman came up and threw some money on the counter. The bus driver let Legolas go and thanked the woman. Legolas was pleased that he had found some good in this bad place. He turned to the woman before sitting down and thanked her. She didn't reply and just pushed past Legolas. He was not surprised at this.  
  
He went to find another seat but they were all full. He hadn't realised there would be so many people, they were all crowded together. The bus was claustrophobic and silent at the same time and it was not a nice atmosphere.  
  
The bus doors closed and made Legolas feel trapped. The bus started vibrating and Legolas was shocked. He didn't know what to do. He gripped hold of a nearby pole and held on tightly as the bus started moving. The movement made Legolas feel very ill.  
  
**  
  
Gandalf had been fighting against the traffic for almost an hour and he was beginning to get very tired of it. He had seen many terrifying things in his time but this was something else. Knowing that the Ring and Ring-bearer were out there alone was enough to terrify even him.  
  
He was now walking against a crowd of people who were flooding across a road; the traffic had stopped and was letting the people pass. He decided it was best to cross with them as he could get swept away and get hurt by one of the creatures that patrolled the roads.  
  
After another five minutes of walking he came to a place that looked familiar in some way. He had seen it somewhere before but not in Middle Earth, it was somewhere in this new place. After all his experiences he couldn't remember much. Then he did remember where he had seen something like it before. It was next to the road; he had seen it at the previous crossing. He smiled to himself, pleased that he could work something out in this new world. He knew he should test his theory. With this in mind he stepped out into the road in front of a speeding creature. Instead of stopping the creature shouted loudly at him and carried on. Gandalf was very confused as he jumped to the side of the road to avoid the thing.  
  
He didn't know what to do next. He knew there was a way to cross but he didn't know how. In frustration he hit a pole with his staff. The sound it made was metallic, this, to Gandalf, was a good sign.  
  
Gandalf hit the pole again but harder than before. After nothing happened he took a closer look. There was a box with writing on it but it didn't make any sense to him. The actual word was 'PUSH' but that made no sense. Push what? He looked below the word and saw something that might actually work.  
  
He decided that he should find out what this thing actually did. It must have been of some importance, it was highlighted in colour. Maybe the button wanted him to push it. He placed his finger on the round circle and pushed it. As soon as he did this a sign appeared saying 'WAIT'. The word was in lights and this was very odd to Gandalf who thought it might have been some kind of wizardry. Nothing like it had ever been seen in Middle Earth.  
  
Gandalf didn't know what to do next. He stood at the side of the road as the creatures continued to stream past him. After about a minute the traffic came to a halt. Gandalf looked at it and began searching for the reason. On another panel on the other side of the road there was another sign illuminated. This one didn't have any writing but it had a picture of a man. A small green man. It made a continuous beeping noise but Gandalf could determine the source.  
  
After another minute the man began flashing and promptly disappeared. The beeping stopped and the creatures began moving again. Now Gandalf understood what was going on. Whenever someone pushed the button the man came up and ordered the traffic to stop.  
  
Gandalf smiled at the ingenious invention and pushed the button again, a little more confidently this time. Once again the 'WAIT' sign came up. The green man came again and did its job. Gandalf rushed across the road. He was pleased that he hadn't been knocked down by one of the creatures. 


	5. sudden disappearence

Ch 5  
  
Ned was wandering around in circles, she kept insisting to Fred and Bob that she knew where they were. She was certain that her years of experience in walking across fields and climbing fences would be an advantage in this place. She thought she knew where she was going. Bob and Fred were all too aware of Ned's position. She was completely lost. They had been going around in circles for the past half-an-hour. After a while of Ned trying to figure out where they were going. Bob and Fred had given up trying to understand her mumbles about moss growing on the North of trees and the position of the sun in the sky. Ned was sat down on a log trying to think. Bob and Fred sat down as well, they had been walking for hours. It was clear to them that they were lost and there was nothing they could do about it.  
  
The two Hobbits were sat on the floor quietly talking about something that the humans couldn't understand. They were talking about Bilbo and whether he had this kind of trouble on his adventures.  
  
Frodo's mind couldn't help but wander back to that time in Rivendell when he had told Bilbo that he wasn't enjoying his adventure. He was now convinced that he wasn't an explorer like his Uncle. Frodo was beginning to get very homesick and wished he was back in Middle Earth. He even thought that Mordor would be better than this. They were being led by people that didn't have a clue where they were going, especially the tallest one, she seemed very strange. He didn't know why but Frodo felt very unsafe around her and two his surprise it seemed that the other two felt the same.  
  
Frodo's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone hitting something. Ned was next to a tree, hitting it with a twig in her frustration. Frodo and Sam were very disturbed by this but the other two seemed used to it. They carried on staring at the trees. They were beginning to get tired of just looking at trees. Trust Ned to get them into a situation like that. She swore she knew where she was going but now they were hopelessly lost.  
  
Bob sighed. She glanced across and noticed a clearing in the trees; there she saw a sheltered part right next to it. It occurred to her that it would soon be dark and they would need to find somewhere to sleep. She was going to tell Ned but she was still hitting the tree with the twig. She was just moving on to a bush.  
  
Bob got up and walked towards the clearing. She picked one up and dragged it into the clearing. Fred watched what Bob was doing, after a while she realised what she was doing and then got up and helped her. The Hobbits, not wanting to be left alone with the crazy one, followed Fred. On the way past Fred hit Ned on the arm. Ned turned around and looked at Fred, she still held the stick aloft and proud that she had knocked all the leaves off the tree. Fred frowned and grabbed the stick and snapped it in half. Ned gasped.  
  
Fred walked off to help Bob and the Hobbits followed. After about an hour the five people had made a shelter, it didn't look very safe but it would keep them dry if it rained. Knowing their luck it would rain very hard that night. Ned had played a big part in the building of the shelter, she stood back, proud that she had built a shelter. Fred was glad that Ned had been there to lift the heavy logs, none of the others were strong enough. They all smiled at their success. Even the Hobbits had helped; they had collected more wood both for the shelter and the fire.  
  
The next thing they had to do was to build and light a fire, that would be hard seeing as they had no matches. They all turned to Ned, hoping that she would know what to do. She had often boasted about being able to light a fire and now was her chance to prove it. She nodded at them with a smile on her face.  
  
Ned began to place some firewood on a clear bit of ground. The Hobbits had collected some of the best firewood in the forest; they had camped before so they knew what to do. Bob wondered how they had made fire in Middle Earth. Bob snapped out of her thoughts and shouted at Ned to light the fire she had been looking vacantly around her. She knew that she had to light the fire before it got cold and started raining. She knew Bob and Fred hated the cold and she didn't want to make them angry.  
  
She told Bob and Fred to go and find some large stones. They looked questioningly at Ned but she just insisted that they did what they were told. As much as they hated to admit it Ned probably knew more about this kind of thing than they did so they decided to humour her. They certainly wouldn't last on their own.  
  
When they had cleared the camping area they started talking about what was happening, they suddenly realised what they had gotten themselves into. They had both seen the Lord of the Rings films and read the books and almost everything that happened to them was bad and someone always ended up getting hurt. They hoped the same thing wouldn't happen to them. Fred was the most wary about what was going on, she still wasn't sure what was going on.  
  
She knew the dangers of being out in the wilderness, it was very dangerous, she had seen many films about this kind of thing and they were usually bad. She wasn't ready to die, she liked her home too much, she was still fascinated with what Frodo and Sam so she wasn't rushing to get away.  
  
After about ten minutes walking Fred and Bob had collected the stones and were heading back to the camp. The only trouble was that neither of them had any sense of direction and neither knew the way back to the camp. Fred knew she should have paid more attention to where they were going. She tried to stay calm but the prospect of having to spend the night in the forest alone frightened her. She tried to recall everything she knew about the wild and geography. Unfortunately that wasn't a lot. She did know that moss grew on the North of trees, however, this wasn't very helpful seeing as they didn't know which direction the camp was in.  
  
Bob and Fred began screaming for Ned hoping that she would hear them and would have some idea of how to get back. They stood in the woods and cried for help for as long as they could.  
  
After five minutes of this they sat down on a log and signed, they knew that they were fairly quiet but surely Ned must have heard them by now. They started talking about what to do next and had just come to the conclusion that they would have to try and make their way back to camp before it got any darker when Ned appeared through the trees. They had never been so glad to see her. Bob's smile soon turned to anger though.  
  
"What took you so long, huh?"  
  
Bob shouted at Ned hitting her hard with the pom poms. Ned tried to get away from her but she was fuming. Fred just stood there watching, feeling sorry for Ned but not wanting to get involved, especially with the pom poms. Eventually Bob started hitting Ned and told her to lead them back to camp. It came as a surprise to Bob and Fred that Ned had been sensible enough to mark the trees. Fred wondered why she hadn't thought of that.  
  
Ned had saved their lives, if she hadn't have been there they would be stuck out there all night. Bob wasn't so pleased, she trailed behind, still angry with Ned for taking so long, this anger was slowly fading though. Bob's main thought now was whether Ned had left the Hobbits alone and if they were all right. It wasn't such a good idea to leave them on their own but on the other hand Ned had no choice.  
  
When they reached the camp they saw that Ned had all ready lit the fire and the two Hobbits were wrapped in their cloaks and were huddled by the fire. They were also cooking something that smelt a lot like sausages. At the thought of food Fred's face lit up and she ran over to them and sat down next to Sam who instantly handed her a plate of food. She tucked into it, only just realising how hungry she was. She turned to Bob and offered her some but she said no and walked towards the shelter.  
  
Ned realised something was wrong and walked after her. Fred didn't notice this, she was too busy eating all food and congratulating Sam on his excellent cooking. The Hobbit seemed very proud of this and offered Fred some more food. She took it gratefully.  
  
Bob was trying to get some things out of the shelter when Ned came in.  
  
"What's wrong? I'm sorry I took so long to come and get you but I didn't hear you and then I had to make sure the Hobbits were safe."  
  
"I'm not angry at you. I'm angry with myself, what have I gotten us into? It was a stupid idea to think that I could help Frodo and now I'm probably going to get us killed or lost and I didn't want that. I don't want to be the one that forced people into this. I think you and Fred should go home and I'll look after the Hobbits. That's probably safer for you two and them."  
  
"No way. I'm not letting you have all the fun. It wasn't just your idea to look after them. You panicked back there you wouldn't last five minutes on your own. At least I have some experience outdoors. I bet you can't even light a fire."  
  
At this Ned moved away from Bob She came back to her original place when she realised Bob wasn't going to attack.  
  
Bob smiled at Ned pleased to see that she had agreed to stay with her. She was sure that she could stay out here alone and Ned was right. She knew nothing about survival at all. There was just one more problem, Fred. It was obvious that she didn't want to be there, she had objected when they had first told her the idea.  
  
"What about Fred?" Bob asked hoping Ned would come up with the answer.  
  
"I don't think Ned minds being out here too much, as long as she's with Frodo and we have a healthy supply of food." They both laughed at this point. They looked out at the shelter and watched Fred swapping stories with Frodo and Sam about their different lives. Of course, Fred could only talk between mouthfuls of food.  
  
The sight of this made Bob and Ned feel very hungry and they went to join the other three who were still sat around the fire. They were soon tucking into a healthy meal. Sam had joked that Fred could have been a Hobbit judging by the amount of food she ate. Sam and Frodo laughed at this but Fred just smiled in amazement at being compared to a Hobbit. It was a dream come true.  
  
After a while they were all swapping stories about previous experiences in the wild. Frodo, Sam and Fred had far more to talk about than Bob and Fred so they just sat there listening to them and laughing at appropriate times. Every now and then they would question what Ned was saying and use the smile and nod technique that had always come in useful.  
  
It soon got dark and they were enveloped in the orange firelight, which was omitted from the fire which was still burning well despite the fact that because Ned had made it was expected to go out in a few hours. It suddenly seemed to grow quiet around the fire and they all felt very tired; the thought of sleep seemed very inviting. If only they had their nice warm beds to sleep in. Instead they had a bed of moss and fallen leaves to sleep on all night. Not the most comfortable shelter.  
  
Fred was the first to suggest that they try and get some sleep and the others agreed with her. The thought of danger seemed to grow closer now and the temptation to stay awake just in case was overwhelming. They were all tired and decided that they were in no real danger here so they all went towards the shelter and tried to get comfortable.  
  
Bob was the first to get to sleep, closely followed by Sam. Ned didn't want to sleep, she knew too much about what lived in the forest and the thought that something might be crawling underneath her frightened her but even she fell asleep eventually. However, it was not so easy for Fred. Fred had always hated camping ever since she found a huge bug in her sleeping bag once. It made her shiver when she thought what was in the moss she was sleeping on.  
  
She was sure that she felt something crawling but she dismissed it as her imagination. She didn't like this camping thing at all, it sounded okay when Bob and Ned had first suggested it and now Fred wondered if this whole thing was a mistake.  
  
Frodo wasn't worried about the bugs and spiders or the fact that they were camping out in the wild; he had done it many times before and had slept in far worse places. It was the Ring that was keeping him awake. He could feel it all the time, he felt its power growing. Another thing that worried him was the feeling that something bad drew near. It was the same feeling that he got when the Ring Wraiths were near, but he knew they couldn't be in the Forest. This wasn't Middle Earth; there was no way they could get here. He knew there was danger in the Forest but he was sure it wasn't from Wraiths.  
  
Frodo trusted the people he travelled with but he knew they couldn't look after him if they were attacked. He tried to put these disturbing thoughts out of his mind knowing that he was safe now. It could be the last opportunity for him to get some sleep. He soon fell asleep. His dreams were confused and frightening but he didn't wake.  
  
Fred, however, was not so lucky. She still thought she felt something moving underneath her and a new feeling had been added to this, the feeling that something was watching them. She wanted to wake the others but they would just think she was being paranoid and she probably was. She wondered if Ned or Bob had the same feeling.  
  
She tried to look at her watch but then she remembered that her watch had broken a few days before, at the time she knew she'd need it later on and she was right. She turned over hoping one of the Hobbits was awake. She remembered in the films Frodo hardly ever slept but she could hear his soft breathing which told her that he was asleep. She felt alone and angry, she decided that she would try and wake Bob up. It didn't work and this just made Fred angrier. She wondered if this night would ever end.  
  
Fred sat up when she heard something outside. It sounded very close. There was bound to be something bad out there, there always was in the Forest. She hoped that whatever it wasn't dangerous. She wished one of the others were awake, they would probably tell her that it was nothing but at least she wouldn't feel so alone. She had never liked the dark and it unnerved her that she couldn't see anything, if only she had a match. She wondered if she should go outside and sit next to the fire. There was light out there and it might protect her. At this last thought she cursed herself, she knew she would be no safer by the light than in the tent. It would probably be more dangerous. Whatever was out there probably wouldn't take her first anyway; it would go for Ned or Bob. She couldn't believe what she was thinking, it was terrible. She didn't want her friends to die.  
  
The sound came again and she sat straight up and strained to listen to it. She thought about all the things that it could be. Her mind came up with all the things that lived in the Forest, when she came to the things that could hurt her she started shivering with fear. She never liked dangerous situations and she felt in more danger than she did with Ned and that was quite a statement. Ned had a way of making her feel unsafe but right then she wished Ned was awake to reassure Fred. She never thought that she'd be thinking that Ned was a safe person to be around.  
  
The sound came once again; it seemed to be getting closer. Fred decided that she'd better go and see what it was at least she'd know what it was that way. Even though she wanted to know what it was she was still terrified of what was out there. She was debating whether to wake Bob up or not. She decided that it was probably nothing and she would go and have a look and see what it was, if she got into trouble she would scream loud enough that they would all wake up.  
  
Fred got up and walked to the gap in the shelter, her hands were trembling and she wished that she had a torch or light of some kind so at least she could see where she was going. She tried not to wake the others although in her mind she hoped she did. She crouched down near the entrance hoping that she could avoid being seen if there was anything out there, she was terrified though.  
  
She looked outside, the area was lit by the same orange glow from the campfire. At first she saw nothing and she breathed a sigh of relief. There was nothing out there. She laughed quietly at her fear and turned to go back to bed. Before she could move she heard the sound again. She didn't really take much notice of it this time but she knew that she wouldn't sleep if she didn't see what it was.  
  
She turned back to the entrance to see what it was. She peered out of the shelter.  
  
Instead of something bad poking through the gap a snout poked through. A small white pony head appeared through the opening. Fred screamed in fright and fell backwards. The others woke instantly on hearing the scream. Ned was the first one to the entrance, she looked outside and saw the pony which was eating the grass near the warmth of the fire. It also seemed to be enjoying the leftovers of last night's meal.  
  
The others were trying to calm Fred down; she was now in tears and cowering in a corner, still unsure as to what she had been confronted with. Bob was trying to get Ned's attention to see what had frightened Fred so much but Ned seemed to be looking at something outside. Bob couldn't see what it was, she hoped that whatever it was wasn't too bad, it had certainly scared Fred so it must have been pretty bad.  
  
Ned suddenly walked out of the shelter, she came back with one of the candles the Hobbits had provided, the whole place was suddenly lit up and they could all see everything, including the smile on Ned's face. She didn't appear to be frightened at all so it couldn't have been anything too bad.  
  
"Well, what was it?" Asked Bob rather impatiently.  
  
Ned opened her mouth to speak but instead she started laughing. Everyone looked at her angrily wondering what was so funny about being attacked in the middle of the night. In between laughs she told the others about the pony.  
  
"Maybe we shouldn't have come to the New Forest if Fred was so afraid of a pony. What would you have been like with a horse?" Ned couldn't stop laughing.  
  
The others didn't find it at all funny at first but the thought of being attacked by a "killer" Shetland pony was just so funny. They were soon joining in with the joke.  
  
Fred, however, didn't find it funny at all; in fact she was angry that they were all laughing at her. She stood up and straightened out her top and walked towards the door. How could they be so mean? This wasn't like Bob at all. She would probably have been scared too if she saw a pony in the dark trying to get into the shelter. There was no way she could have known it was just a pony. The thought almost made her laugh but she was overcome with the anger. She ran out of the shelter.  
  
With tears in her eyes she paced around the fire, she cast a look over to the pony and almost started laughing again when it started eating more leftovers. No, she was too annoyed to laugh. She decided she'd go for a walk, on her own, in the middle of the night. At least she'd be away from her friends.  
  
She grabbed a candle from Sam's bag and lit it on the fire. She started walking towards the trees, they didn't look that threatening, maybe it was because she had already been scared once that night and nothing could scare her again.  
  
Ned came out of the shelter to apologise to Fred as well as to make sure she was okay. Ned knew it was easy to get confused in a place like this, it had happened to her many times. She did understand that the pony must have spooked Fred and she felt sorry for her. She wished she hadn't been so cruel to her friend.  
  
She walked slowly towards the campfire hopeful that her friend had calmed down by now. When she got to the fire and Fred wasn't there she began to get a bit worried, Fred wasn't in the camp. Ned hoped that she hadn't gone off on her own, she had no sense of direction and would surely get lost in the woods at night. Ned shouted her name hoping that Fred hadn't gone too far away. No reply came and Ned began to shout louder but nothing happened.  
  
Bob and the Hobbits soon appeared from inside the shelter and looked questioningly at Ned. She shrugged her shoulders and started calling louder than before. Fred was nowhere to be found. Ned didn't think she could have gone too far, she wouldn't be brave enough anyway. Ned knew she was angry but not that angry, surely. Ned was getting really worried now, she knew the dangers that were in the woods. She hoped Fred knew what she was doing. She felt guilty for laughing at her, maybe if they hadn't been so mean to her.  
  
Bob was shouting desperately for her friend. She had lit a torch and was now waving it about trying to get Fred's attention. Fred was her best friend and she hadn't meant to upset her. She didn't know what she'd do if her friend was hurt. Bob tried to put those terrible thoughts out of her mind. It was her fault Fred was so angry. They had to find her. Ned decided that they should go and search for her.  
  
The Forest seemed to be unusually thick but they knew they had to go in and find Fred. They owed it to her. They searched for a long time; it was nearly light when they found a strange mark on one of the trees, a chalk mark. Bob hopefully followed it. She was sure Fred had made it.  
  
They followed these marks for about five minutes and suddenly out of the blue they saw a glow coming from behind a clump of trees. Bob rushed forwards hoping it was Fred and that she was okay. Her heart sank when she saw the disguarded candle lying on the floor. Next to it was a sight that made Bob fall to her knees. There was a pool of fairly fresh blood. Bob instinctively knew that it was Fred's. 


	6. different experiences

Ch 6 different experiences  
  
Boromir was laid on a small, hard bed that much resembled laying on the ground. At least he was warm and he felt safe, even though he was still unconscious he felt safe and warm. He was now sleeping soundly, a young girl of about seventeen years was leaning over him cleaning his cuts and inspecting his clothes. This man fascinated her, she had never seen anything like it, she wondered if he was in a play, maybe an actor of some kind. She knew they did historical reinactments at Old Sarum but that was quite a long way away. Why would an actor be in Salisbury anyway and being chased by the Police as well. He seemed really distressed when he had collapsed in her arms near the bridge, something had obviously frightened him. He could have been a criminal for all she knew, or a murderer, but she had a feeling that he was innocent, besides she had nothing to steal. This man seemed innocent enough. And right now he didn't look that tough or scary at all.  
  
As she was thinking about all these things Boromir had woken up and was trying to get his vision into focus so he could at least get an idea as to where her was. He felt terrible. Like he had been shot with an arrow or something. He tried to remember what happened but it was all just a blur at the moment, he was also finding it very difficult to keep his mind on anything. He closed his eyes for a while but forced himself to open them again when he heard someone else in the room with him. He sat bolt upright, suddenly afraid of what was happening to him. He was confronted with a beautiful young girl who was holding a cloth in her hands and was cleaning him up. Boromir also noticed that she was holding his sword. He was suddenly alarmed and grabbed it off of her and holding it to her throat. She screamed not expecting it. Boromir noticed how scared she was and so slowly lowered his sword when he heard her weeping and begging that he didn't kill her.  
  
He looked down at his chest and saw a huge bruise and a number of small grazes where he had tackled the policeman. He was a little confused at this seeing as his armour should have protected him. He looked back at the woman, she didn't look very old but was hardly a threat to him. He quickly scanned the room and her and made sure that there were no weapons that could hurt him. There were none. In fact, there was very little in the room, it seemed to be an abandoned building of some kind. Boromirs eyes wandered back to the young girl. She was so beautiful, Boromir felt safe around her now and took her hand. He drew her close to him, she didn't fight him, he seemed to have an air of power about him and this made her feel safe and happy around him. He lifted her hand and kissed it gently, this seemed to surprise the girl, she didn't know what to do. She smiled the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. The girl had now realised that he was kind and lifted her hand to his chest as if to gesture that she was going to help him, she didn't know if he was English and wanted to talk to him but she was so enthralled by who he was that she couldn't think of what to say.  
  
She placed her hand on his chest and went about cleaning his wounds. There seemed to be an understanding between them, he trusted her and she was no longer afraid of him. It was good that this was the way it worked. Boromir still felt light-headed and didn't think he could fight his way out, even though she wasn't a real threat to him. The girl was so gentle, she made him even more relaxed and he would have fallen asleep had it not been for the fact that he was sat up. He started to waver and she saw this. She laid him down and placed a thick blanket over him to keep him warm. This man intrigued her and she was pleased that she had rescued him from the Police, she wouldn't have done it for anyone else but this man had a charm about him, and she liked it. Yes. She would look after him and maybe he would tell her about himself, deep down she wondered if he felt the same about her as she did for him.  
  
**  
  
Gimli was getting fed up of being behind bars and was trying to bend them out of shape hoping that he could escape that way. Unfortunately they were far too thick and strong for him to bend. If only he had his axe with him, the he might have a chance. Those stupid people had taken his most precious tool away from him and this made him very angry. He shouted out again thinking that maybe if he did it often enough they might give in and let him go.  
  
The man that was in the cell with him was the tallest person Gimli had ever seen, he must have been at least six feet tall and very powerful. He towered over Gimli, this frightened him, there was no way he could compete with him. The man stood up and looked down at Gimli with an annoyed look on his face. He had been disturbed by this creature all night and it was starting to get on his nerves. Gimli looked up at the man, suddenly afraid of what he could do to him. He was certainly taller than the short dwarf and seemed much stronger, maybe he could bend the bars and they could both escape. That would be better and make things far easier for Gimli, however, this man didn't look overly keen to help so Gimli went and sat down. It was so frustrating, he knew that if only he could get out he could help his friends but he was stuck in here and he didn't even know what for.  
  
He glanced uneasily around and then laid down on his back and closed his eyes; if he was going to build up enough strength to get out of the prison he needed sleep. Maybe then he could escape.  
  
**  
  
Merry and Pippin were laid in the most comfortable beds they had ever seen, they had thick, warm blankets over them. The beds were so big that they were sharing one but there was still plenty of room for them both. They had had another meal when they got to the house. At first neither of them felt like eating after the terrible journey in the "car", it had made them both feel very ill. The woman had been so kind to them, she had offered them food and clean clothes, even though they didn't fit. She made the whole thing seem so much better, at least they knew that there were safe places around here and it wasn't all just one big nightmare.  
  
Pippin had particularly liked coming to the house. He was pleased that the woman was the one who would look after them. The others didn't seem nearly as friendly. The woman said her name was Maria and that she had worked at the museum for almost a year. She was the single most beautiful sight Pippin had ever seen, Merry wasn't that impressed and seemed eager to leave, although the prospect of food was always a good one and they had agreed to stay the night so they could rest after their frightening ordeal.  
  
That was what they had done. They had finished their food and gone straight to bed, there Maria had told them all about where they were, when she asked them questions they tried their best to sidestep them not wishing to tell the woman anything about where they came from. Although they trusted her they knew that there were spies everywhere and that this woman could well be working for the White Wizard or Sauron. They decided that it was best that they didn't get her involved with their business as it may also put the rest of the Fellowship in danger and they didn't want that. They had told her only what she needed to know. The thing that surprised them was that the question of their size never came up. They were glad about this as neither could think up a good explanation.  
  
For now they slept peacefully, knowing that they were safe, yet still worried that their friends could be in danger. They knew that they would have to help them; they couldn't just abandon Frodo and Sam. They had promised that they wouldn't.  
  
**  
  
Aragorn was now wandering the streets of Salisbury looking for some clue that the Fellowship was somewhere. He had found nothing; it was a big town though. His tracking skills were of little use in this strange place and that infuriated him. There must be some clue as to where they were, he just couldn't find it. He should have been trying to find Frodo and Sam but right then he would even have been glad to see the troublesome dwarf that had caused him so much trouble in the past.  
  
Aragorn wished that he could find something. This place was new and daunting to him and he didn't like it at all, he longed to feel Arwen's soft touch or to hear the commanding voice of Gandalf. His stopped walking and sat down on a bench that was conveniently placed in the centre of a square clearing. He leaned forwards and put his head in his hands, when he closed his eyes he could picture Arwen in Rivendell, waiting for him to return. He reached for the necklace that hung around his neck. The very feel of it seemed to give him strength, he could feel Arwen's presence and it made him feel safe.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps.  
  
"I wouldn't sleep there if I were you. The boss gets really angry at the homeless sleeping in his town, says that they make it look messy, untidy, like. I can't see any harm in it myself but you know, I have to do what I'm told. That's some nice clothes you got there. They yours are they? Didn't steal them did ya?" The man looked at Aragorn again. For a moment he was caught up in his grey eyes, there seemed to be a loneliness there.  
  
This loneliness disappeared and was replaced by anger.  
  
"Who is your boss? Who do you work for? Tell me now or I'll kill you, I swear. Do you know where the Wizard is? If you do I would tell me, little man." By this time Aragorn had drawn a dagger from his belt and was holding it to the man's throat.  
  
The man was clearly surprised and he had not expected that at all. He was too scared to talk. This man didn't seem to be the killing type on first sight, that was why he'd approached him. He thought he was doing the grey- eyed man a favour but obviously he didn't want help. The man started squirming in Aragorn's grasp. He didn't know anything so Aragorn put him down and replaced his dagger. The man was about to run off when he turned to Aragorn and blew him a kiss. Aragorn didn't understand this at all. Just a minute ago the man had been terrified of him and now he seemed to be friendly. Perhaps a little too friendly for Aragorn's liking. He turned away from the man and started walking. He had to keep searching for his friends. No matter what happened.  
  
**  
  
Fred felt nothing, no fear, no pain. She saw only a bright white light. The sensation of flying had scared her at first but now she was growing used to it. Still she was shrouded in light, she saw nothing of where she was or where she was going. She didn't have a clue as to where she was going or what happened to her. Even though she felt that she should have been scared she didn't feel anything, it was so peaceful where she was.  
  
Fred didn't know where she was but she was pretty sure that she wasn't in the woods anymore. For a while she had heard the distant sounds of her friends calling her but that had soon disappeared when the light had come. She wondered if her friends were still looking for her, she hoped so. Fred tried to move but found it impossible. Instead of panicking she took it as an opportunity to get some sleep. She turned on her side and closed her eyes. It was so warm here, so quiet nothing like the scary place she had just come from and nothing like the even scarier place she was about to go to.  
  
**  
  
Bob had now gotten to her feet and wiped her eyes. Something bad had happened to her friend and she had to help her. Fred could be dying or worse, dead. Bob felt so bad about being mean to her friend earlier.  
  
Frodo and Sam were searching the area looking for any sign that Fred had walked off into the woods, Ned was doing the same but she was hysterically turning over rocks and such, Bob didn't really know why she was doing this, it wasn't as if Fred was hiding under a rock. If they had been at school Bob would have probably been laughing at what Ned was doing, then again so would Fred.  
  
Bob's eyes filled with tears again at the thought that she might never see her best friend. What would she tell her mother and father? It was all her fault and she had to make sure that Fred was safe. She could have been in serious trouble, hurt or something. With everything that had happened so far she could be in serious trouble.  
  
Frodo suddenly looked up and tapped Sam on the shoulder.  
  
"Sam, something's wrong." Frodo felt an urge to put the Ring on again but he resisted, "They're here." He said simply.  
  
He pushed Sam into a bush and shouted for Bob and Ned to come as well, they did as they were told. Just as they jumped out of sight a man dressed in black and riding a horse came into view. A Ring Wraith. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was even more terrifying than in the film. Frodo and Sam were also scared but they had seen them before so knew what to expect.  
  
The Wraith sniffed around for a minute and then moved on.  
  
Bob and the rest came from the bush and looked around to check that the Wraith wasn't still there, it was no where to be seen. They breathed a sigh of relief, they were safe. Ned, however, wasn't so happy. A new thought had come to her about what had happened to Fred, what if she had been captured by one of the Wraiths. It would explain her sudden disappearance and the blood. Frodo and Sam had also realised what might have happened but Bob still hadn't worked it out or maybe she just didn't want to believe it. She looked over at them and nodded her head in disbelief. Her friend couldn't have been captured by a Ring Wraith, that would mean that she was probably dead by now. Bob sat down on a log once more and started crying again. The very sight of that thing had sent a shiver down her spine and the thought of Fred being carried away by it was almost too much for her to bear. In a way she hoped that her friend was dead and that she hadn't suffered any pain and wasn't frightened.  
  
**  
  
Fred was still being carried by the Wraith through the sky, she didn't know where she was going and at that point in time she didn't really care. She was fast asleep, her dreams were filled with wonderful things. This was the last moment of peace she would have for a long time. She had no idea that her innocence would soon be destroyed, that this was the last time she would ever be able to sleep with good dreams.  
  
The Wraith continued to carry her into the approaching darkness, although she was still unaware of what she was being taken into. 


	7. no hope of rest

Ch7 no hope of rest  
  
Despite the fact that they knew that Fred was nowhere in the area Bob and Ned felt that they owed it to her to make absolutely sure, plus it was a way of making sure that they were doing something, even if it wasn't very much. They had searched quite a lot of forest by the time it was fully light. It had been hard working in the dark but they knew they couldn't wait until morning. Fred might have been just a few feet away, unable to talk but begging for someone to find her. Neither Bob or Ned could live with the knowledge that if they had just kept looking rather than going back to camp then Fred would be alive.  
  
They had been looking frantically for almost an hour and they were starting to think that it was useless. They had sent the hobbits back to the camp to make sure it was safe, they were also afraid that Fred might return and if they were all away she wouldn't know where they were. That was the last thing they wanted. If only they could find her, they hoped she wasn't in pain or in too much trouble. Deep down they knew that it wasn't very likely that they would find her alive if a Ring Wraith got her. He would kill her instantly given the chance.  
  
**  
  
Aragorn had been walking all night and now the sun was coming up he was beginning to feel the tiredness creeping over his body. It was a terrible feeling but he couldn't fight it, he had already walked so far when they were in Middle Earth and this new place seemed to drain his energy. He had found nothing that could help him with finding the Fellowship, not one clue. He didn't even know where he was so how was he expected to find anyone else.  
  
He came to a see-through building. It seemed dark inside but the light that filtered through the glass allowed him to see what was inside. There were beds. Lots of beds. The thought of lying down made Aragorn feel even more tired. If only he could get in he could get some rest, when he wasn't so tired he might have a chance of finding his friends. The only problem was there seemed to be no way to get in. He pressed his hand up against the glass, hoping it might give some insight as to how to get into the place, but nothing happened.  
  
Aragorn walked around the side of the building wondering if there was some other way in, there must have been an entrance. He came to a door which was made of the same glass as the windows around the front.  
  
Once more he tried to open it using his hand and once again nothing happened. He couldn't understand, there was obviously a way he just didn't know it. He pushed against the glass and nothing happened. He looked down and noticed a handle. He pushed down on it, nothing happened. He realised that it probably needed a key.  
  
He didn't have a key, the beds looked so inviting that he was now determined to get inside. The sun was now fully up, he wondered what time it was. He quickly checked around him to make sure there was no one about and when he was sure he wasn't being watched he pushed hard against the glass. It shattered and sent glass flying all over the street as well as all over Aragorn. Without warning an alarm went off and lights started flashing all around him but instead of being scared Aragorn was curious about the lights, he found them strangely relaxing. He felt himself drifting off into a dream, a wonderful dream. The sounds of the alarms seemed to dull as he thought about his home. He closed his eyes and saw only shadows of the flashing lights. The sounds of people running soon came to his head and then shouts, angry people shouting. This last sound woke him from his daze, he realised he'd sunk to the floor and there was now a weapon pointed at his head.  
  
The man with the weapon shouted at him to put his hands on his head, he slowly raised his hands from the floor. When they reached his belt he quickly drew his sword before the man could do anything about it. Aragorn swung round and knocked the weapon out of the man's hand. In doing so he slit the man's hand and almost cut it off. The man was forced back in pain and another took his place. By this time Aragorn was on his feet, he swung his sword around at the new person that had come up to him. Aragorn was about to cut the man's head off when he had a change of heart, it was hardly an equal match and it would be unfair. He changed direction of his sword just in time and his slashed the man's chest instead, disabling him but not killing him. Soon there were another ten people charging towards him. He soon knocked them all to the floor. They couldn't believe it, he was outnumbered but still he was winning.  
  
Aragorn grabbed one of the men closest to him and pulled out his dagger and held it to the man's neck hoping the others would then call retreat. It worked just as he'd expected it to. He moved towards the door with the man in front of him. The other men followed him at a safe distance, keeping their weapons pointed at him. As Aragorn reached the door he let his hostage go. The men took the opportunity and shot at him. One of their strange arrows hit him in the shoulder and he fell to the ground still grasping his sword in his hand. He rolled over, pain overcoming him rapidly. He saw the men coming rushing towards him, then darkness took him. For this he was grateful, the pain was momentarily gone.  
  
**  
  
Bob and Ned were still looking for Fred and they had been looking for a long time, there had been so much ground to cover in the Forest, they knew they would never be able to cover that amount of space in a short time. After a while they decided that they should go back to the camp, they had to keep an eye on the Hobbits as well as making sure they weren't found. Ned thought it would be best if they took down the shelter, at least then they wouldn't be found. The last thing they wanted was a Wraith knowing they were there.  
  
They walked back to the camp; the Hobbits were sat by the fire, piling new wood on it to keep it going, just as Ned had told them to. Sam was eating some warmed up leftovers from the night before, it wasn't much but they were grateful for them. Over at the shelter where Fred had been 'attacked' last night the small pony was eating leaves that lay on the ground. Even after what happened and how scared Fred was of the pony it was still very amusing. Especially Ned who found the whole thing unbelievable. Fred could be anywhere. This was a pretty good place and there were hundreds of places the Wraith could take her.  
  
** Fred woke up. The darkness was all around her but the shapes were clearer than before, Fred was pretty sure that this wasn't unconsciousness or her home. She couldn't understand where she was though, nothing made sense. There was another thing that seemed strange to Fred, the smell was over powering. The heat made Fred uncomfortable but despite this she felt that familiar chill, there was something about this place that frightened her.  
  
She noticed for the first time a strange flying sensation. She couldn't understand this as the last thing she remembered was a pony and a beautiful light that made her feel very happy. She wished the light had never left, she missed it so much. The movement of the thing she was on made her feel nauseous. The throbbing that had over powered her in the forest was coming back, this time with more force. The pain in her head was also returning she didn't know what had caused it but she guessed that it was the thing that snatched her. She was almost certain that it was a Ring Wraith. It would explain the strange flying sensation and the strong grip that held her.  
  
She tried to move but she found that she couldn't, her body was completely paralysed and this scared her, the though of not being able to move terrified her. Fred tried to shout out but the noise made it so she couldn't scream.  
  
Fred wondered if Ned and Bob were still looking for her, she remembered hearing their shouts asking where she was. She was angry at the time and just as she was about to shout back something grabbed her out of the blue. She tried to keep hold of the candle hoping that it would attract attention but when the Wraith grabbed her she dropped it, she had to use all her strength to try not to fall off of the horse. The Wraith didn't seem too bothered that Fred might have fallen off the horse, in fact, if Fred didn't know better she would say that the Wraith wasn't really after her. So far she wasn't even sure where she was and at that point in time she didn't really care. The black that had been swiftly getting closer to her had now almost obscured her vision, she was glad about this in a way, she didn't think she'd like what was out there. She had a strong feeling that it was something bad.  
  
The Wraith seemed to be slowing down. Fred was concerned at this but she couldn't move although feeling was slowly returning to her body. She suddenly felt how incredibly cold it was here. Before she had been hot but as they moved towards the darkness the heat disappeared and it was replaced by the chill that Fred was used to in the winter. She wished she had worn a jacket or something although she didn't think it would do a whole lot of good out here. She wondered if Bob and Ned were okay, she hoped another Wraith hadn't caught them. Ned was used to heights, she often did a parachute jump or bungee jump or something that Bob and Fred thought was absolutely pointless. Bob wasn't keen on heights but she probably wouldn't find this as scary as Fred did.  
  
All of these thoughts were going through her head, she was subconsciously trying to block out the terrible fear that shrouded her, the thought of being carried by a Wraith that was, to her, fictitious was almost too much to handle. She just hoped that they weren't going anywhere bad but she had a feeling that here wish wouldn't be granted. This wish was confirmed when the Wraith swept to the right, Fred caught a glimpse of where she was going and she didn't like what she saw. A deep red glow covered the land, a tall mountain rose high above the landscape, which was completely bare apart from a few battered and broken trees here and there. This horrific sight took Fred aback. She knew for certain that this wasn't on Earth, there was no place she ever heard of that looked this hostile. In the back of her mind was the fear that this had something to do with Lord of the Rings. She didn't know exactly but this looked a lot like Isenguard!  
  
Fred went through her memory banks trying desperately to come up with another less disturbing suggestion. There wasn't one. She had read the books and answered enough questions for Ned; she knew this was bad yet something inside her still didn't want to believe it.  
  
She couldn't understand why she would be taken to here she didn't know much about the place or the Ring. Fred was never really that good at answering questions about The Lord of the Rings anyway and most of them were simple like:  
  
"What is the name of the river that runs through the Shire?"  
  
But Fred was almost certain that they wouldn't really need that kind of information. She had nothing at all to offer them. She was just a girl, not even from Middle Earth why would a dark lord want her anyway; it just didn't make sense to her at all.  
  
Whilst she was thinking about all this she noticed that they were slowly going down, this made Fred feel sick, she had never been good with heights and was even worse at coming down from them. She even felt ill when she stood on a stepladder. She wished she hadn't gotten so angry about a stupid little Shetland pony. If she had stayed where she was she would have probably found it funny by morning, but no she had to run away to prove a point. She couldn't believe she had been so stupid.  
  
During this little argument with herself she noticed that the Ring Wraith had slowed down almost completely and that they weren't far from the ground. Slightly more feeling was coming back to her body now and once again she tried to sit up. It took a great deal of effort but she finally did it. He limbs still seemed stiff but the thought of looking over the edge of this thing only made the sensation worse. The Wraith was clearly landing now and Fred could see where. The tower of Orthanc loomed over the landscape. Fred couldn't believe what she was seeing, it was amazing. For an instant she forget her fear and thought about how much Ned would enjoy this. The feeling soon disappeared when she saw that they were actually going to land right new to the tower. The Wraith was still a few metres off the ground so Fred took advantage and looked around the place, the information might come in handy later on if she tried to escape. She couldn't believe what she was thinking; this was starting to turn into one of Ned's fanfictions.  
  
The Wraith was now inches from the ground and was coming in to land right next to the entrance of the tower. Fred got a close up, she knew it would be big but this was amazing, even though she knew it was a bad place she couldn't help but silently congratulate its creators on their efforts, it was truly outstanding.  
  
The Wraith had finally landed, to Fred this was a relief and she was glad the nightmare was finally over but as she was lifted off the back of the great beast that carried them she knew that the nightmare had only just begun.  
  
Fred glanced up in awe at the tower, it was unbelievable. It didn't look anything like in the film which surprised Fred a bit, she couldn't really be sure though because so far nothing had seemed even remotely familiar. She stood there marvelling, she noticed that the Ring Wraith that had stolen her had now disappeared. She checked behind her just to make sure that he wasn't there but he was nowhere to be seen. Fred wondered if she had been set free although this seemed highly unlikely. She looked back at the tower as though it were calling her, she saw a figure coming from the gates of the tower. He was like a ghost, dressed completely in white, they flowed around him. Fred wanted so desperately to run but something held her there. As the figure got closer she saw the tall white staff that he carried. At the sight of this her blood ran cold, she could now guess who it was. It was Saruman. It sort of made sense now and she almost laughed at herself for thinking that it was a ghost.  
  
The figure of the powerful Wizard stopped at the foot of the steps, Fred was unsure as to why he did this. He held out his free hand and chanted something in a language that Fred couldn't and didn't want to understand. She felt herself being drawn nearer to him. She didn't want to move but her legs just kept moving towards the old wizard. She wished she could stop but he had control over her. She finally reached him and she stopped right in front of him. This time it was him that moved towards her, he moved surprisingly gracefully for an evil Wizard that worked for the Dark Lord. Fred wondered if anyone would ever believe that this really happened and she was starting to doubt it herself.  
  
Saruman had now reached her and was slowly walking around her as if to make sure there was nothing wrong with her. Suddenly Fred felt very self- conscious and wished he would stop doing it. After he had walked around her several times as if to satisfy him that she was who they wanted he faced her. His eyes seemed to penetrate her and she wished she could look away but something kept her facing him. He must have put some kind of spell on her. The Wizard looked like he was about to speak when he looked towards the sky as if it were talking to him. Fred couldn't understand what was going on and had given up trying. The White Wizard turned back to her and smiled.  
  
"Your time has come my young friend. Now you will reveal all."  
  
With this he turned away. Fred had no idea what this meant. She knew she didn't have anything to reveal, she didn't know anything. This was all so confusing. She wished Ned were with her, she knew a little more about this strange place that Fred did. Saruman had now disappeared into the tower and once more Fred was left standing alone outside. She took a step forward realising that the spell the Wizard had cast was now broken. She smiled slightly for no apparent reason, she was just glad he had gone, there was something chilling about his stare that made her feel incredibly uncomfortable.  
  
Two previously unseen Orcs grabbed her from behind, their grip was so strong, she tried to fight her way from them but she wasn't nearly strong enough. She stopped when she realised that they were far too powerful for her and that it would probably be easier and far less painful if she did as she was told. She no longer tried to escape from their grip and followed them as they led her up the numerous steps to the tower gates.  
  
The place was incredible; she had never even imagined anything like this. It was completely black and lit only by torches with small candles dotted around to provide enough light to see in the dingy corridors. The two Orcs took her to a huge wooden door that looked a lot like a prison. They opened it and roughly threw Fred in. She fell to the ground with surprising force and banged her head on the stone floor. She sat up and looked at the Orcs who cackled at the sight of blood running down the side of her face. One of them tried to lurch forward and get hold of her but the other one grabbed him and pulled him back, he shouted something in a foul language and Fred had a feeling that it was something bad about him.  
  
She couldn't believe what was happening to her, she was being held in a prison cell in the tower of Orthanc, she was exhausted and frightened. The White Wizard was holding her captive and there was no apparent escape from this terrible place.  
  
Fred searched the cell quickly and found a corner at the far end, not that it was very big; she curled up tight in the corner and shut her eyes to black out the horrors around her. For on the walls were skeletons of previous prisoners, some had been there just a few days and were just starting to rot and some were nothing more than bones. Fred hoped that she wouldn't end up like these people. She started to softly cry, this soon turned into a loud sob when she thought about where she was and what was going to happen to her. She wished that wonderful darkness would just take her and make all this be over. 


	8. strong feelings

Ch8 strong feelings  
  
Bob and Ned had finally packed up the camp; it had taken a while especially as the hobbits hadn't been of much help. They couldn't really do a whole lot, they couldn't reach the top of the shelter so couldn't really help bring it down. The whole thing had taken about an hour; they had dumped the logs and camouflage they had used last night in the forest so no one would find out that they were there. They had completely dismantled everything they had used last night, they had even covered the space where the fire had been with dead leaves so no one could find the burn mars on the ground. They weren't taking any chances with Wraiths out there. The whole experience was starting to take on a whole new light; it was fast becoming a nightmare rather than an adventure. The thought that they were being chased by Wraiths was almost unbearable. It was Bob that had been most frightened, she had scared some school bullies in the past but she had never come up against anything like this before and now she felt powerless.  
  
After about an hour the place looked pretty much as they had left it and they were packing up their things, although Bob and Ned didn't have much the hobbits had a good deal of supplies on them, including food and a fair amount of Lembas left over from Lothlorien. Ned knew all about Lembas as she had watched Sam and Frodo trying not to eat it, in the movie of course. The thought of eating didn't seem too bad now; no one else on Earth would have tried it before. It would certainly be a new experience, she wondered at how pleased Fred would be and how much of it she would eat. Fred had a somewhat endless appetite and she was well known for it amongst her friends.  
  
They finally got everything packed away and began walking; they knew there would be a long journey ahead of them. Frodo, Sam and Ned were used to all the walking, Ned even did it for fun, something that Bob and Fred could never understand, in their opinion there was no fun from walking miles across the countryside looking at sheep and cows. Ned knew that Bob would find this hard, she always complained during games let alone walking for miles without a map. Bob knew this and wasn't looking forward to the long trek at all.  
  
They walked a little way but found that the hobbits were having a lot of trouble keeping up; they had far shorter legs than the two humans and so found it far more tiring to walk a long way. Bob and Ned knew that the two hobbits were slowing them down. They also knew that their friend was in trouble and needed their help, and soon. They really couldn't afford to waste time. Ned was about to say this but something made her think twice, she thought it might have been the stern and angry look Bob gave her when she went to go towards the hobbits but there was something else, something that told her that the hobbits were of great importance to the survival of Fred, so for now she decided to abandon the idea of leaving the hobbits behind and instead encouraged them in the politest way possible.  
  
Bob wondered if the two hobbits found Ned very intimidating. She was much taller and sometimes even Bob found it hard to stay calm around her. The height difference was obviously much different with the hobbits, they didn't even reach her waist and she sort of understood how she might frighten them. Also she thought they must think Ned a little mad, even humans thought that so hobbits must find it even worse. Bob smiled at the thought of two hobbits that had faced so much danger being frightened of Ned.  
  
On they walked, the hobbits having to stop every now and then, Ned however seemed to be doing her power walking, even Bob had trouble keeping up with her, she had never seen her friend so determined before. She guessed it was the thought of Fred being somewhere out there alone that drove her and it was certainly what kept Bob going. She tried to push the thought of Fred in trouble out of her mind, as she knew that she could not afford to have a nervous breakdown now, not when her friends needed her. There was something inside her that shared Fred's fear and it was strong, very strong.  
  
Bob knew that their psychic link was strong but she had never felt this way before, she was filled with dread and there was a feeling deep down inside her that her friend was in pain and that was what drove her on. And so she went on, her and Ned at the front and Sam and Frodo near the back desperately trying to keep up with their human companions, trying not to hold them up too much. They hadn't forgotten their friends either, the Fellowship could also be in this place and that was what encouraged them to run to keep up with Ned and Bob.  
  
Something that frightened the hobbits was how much the humans, especially Ned, knew about them. It was as if they had met before. They had also heard the tall one mention the events that had occurred in Middle Earth, they thought that she might have been a philosopher or something, she certainly knew a great deal about them. Back at the camp when Frodo had asked her about it she had just ignored the question and started talking about something called hangman. Frodo wasn't sure what that was but it didn't seem a very nice game to him. He had asked Ned if she would teach him how to play it but had changed his mind when the mention of hanging someone was introduced. To him it sounded like a very violent game.  
  
The four walked in silence for a long time, after a while Ned stopped and sat down on an old log, the others were relieved that they had finally stopped for a rest, even though they had only been walking for about an hour and a half it seemed much longer. Ned sipped some water from the hobbit's canteen, she found that it was warm and stale, she wished that she had her platy-puss on her. She laughed and got up. The others all looked tired but she knew they had to keep walking if they were to cover a lot of ground before night. She walked towards the bushes on her right and looked beyond them, there wasn't a whole lot to see, just more trees, they seemed never ending. She walked through them whilst the others looked on in curiosity. Ned looked through the green of the forest, she didn't know why but she sensed something was near; she was looking for a Wraith although she didn't like to admit it. She kneeled down on the ground and brushed aside some leaves to reveal the mud underneath. She inspected the ground for a while and stood up sighing. For once she wished Aragorn was with them, he was a good tracker in the movie.  
  
She moved away and stopped and turned when she heard a rustling behind her, the sharp turn dislodged the penknife from her pocket, it fell to the floor without her even noticing. She stood silently waiting for something terrible to come into sight. The sound came again, this time from above. She looked upwards but instead of finding something bad, the big eyes of a squirrel looked back at her. She breathed a sigh of relief and turned and walked away. The penknife was now out of sight and she didn't see it as she accidentally covered it with leaves when she walked past.  
  
She rejoined the others; they had put their water bottles away and were stood ready waiting for her to join them.  
  
"Did you see anything?" Bob asked.  
  
"No, there's nothing out there but a squirrel which seemed intent on scaring me." It was almost said in a jokey way.  
  
"I didn't know you were scared of squirrels." Bob joked as they walked away.  
  
In the bushes where Ned had been just a minute ago, two big, bright eyes watched the four people walk away. It was something that had been following them since they left the school and they had no idea what it was.  
  
**  
  
In the jail, Gimli had had a rough night, the man he was sharing a cell with had snored all night and Gimli had hardly got a wink of sleep. He would never snore like that. He wished he could get out of that cell, he didn't know what these men were so upset about, he thought they'd be pleased that he broke the barrier and set the prisoner free. He was sure that this wasn't the way to treat a hero. It didn't seem like a reward.  
  
He had to come up with a plan for escape but dwarves weren't known for their brains in bad situations. The only thing he knew how to do was to mine and that was of little use in a cell. Unless of course there was stone. Gimli tapped his foot on the floor and listened to the sound of stone, now that he could mine, he just didn't have anything to do it with. He checked his pockets but the men had removed everything. He went quietly over to the other man. He put his hand carefully in his pockets and searched for something to dig with.  
  
A few times the man grunted and looked like he was about to wake up but he never did. Gimli finally found the right pocket and pulled out a knife. It wasn't the perfect thing to dig with but it would have to do. Gimli walked back to his bed and glanced around the room to try and find a place that would be most suitable to dig. The whole place looked pretty much the same, even so the floor looked quite thick and Gimli had his doubts that he would be able to do anything with a small knife, at least he had a weapon. His only problem was whether the man would notice his knife was gone. Gimli hoped not, he didn't want to get into trouble with this man; he was exceptionally large compared to him.  
  
He had his plan and all he had to do now was try to make it work. He hoped one of the men holding him wouldn't notice.  
  
**  
  
Fred had been curled up in the corner for hours, she hadn't even looked up at the walls, the skeletons on the walls were looming over her, she glanced up once but the sight just made her even more desperate about her situation. The room she was being kept in was incredibly small and there was a very claustrophobic and seeing as Fred had a severe fear of small places this was the most uncomfortable thing. Most of the time she had tried to forget what was happening to her and once she had even attempted to go to sleep but she really couldn't, the thought of being surrounded by dead bodies was too much for her. She wondered whether she should search for some kind of weapon but then she thought better. She was in a prison; there wouldn't be weapons in a prison that would defy the point. Fred was at the point of desperation, if only she had stayed near the camp none of this would have happened, she hadn't even been that angry. She was so stupid.  
  
Every now and then she heard muffled voices outside the door, she was pretty sure there were one or more guards out there. She was a little confused at this because she was hardly a threat to them, she was just a child certainly no match for a dozen Uruk-hai. It was impossible to escape from the prison anyway, not that Fred had tried she was too scared to even go to the door.  
  
Strangely, the voices outside were almost comforting to her she didn't feel alone even though they were bad and were probably going to kill her later on she liked the thought of them being there. Fred had wondered why the Ring Wraith had brought her here, she hadn't even recognised where she was going at first, that was how little she knew about Middle Earth. They would have been far better off with someone like Ned, she knew far more about this place than Fred did. Although she knew it was wrong to be thinking about her friends like that she couldn't help it, she was so scared that she wasn't even thinking straight.  
  
Fred had been building up the courage to look up for about five minutes and she was now forcing herself to look around the room. Slowly she lifted her head and the room came into focus. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness although there was a strange orange glow coming from underneath the heavy door on the other side of the room. This was what illuminated the room, just enough for Fred to see the bodies that hung from the walls. Even though she didn't want to look at the mutilated carcasses she thought they might give her some clue as to why she was here and what was going to happen to her. She focused on one body, it's arms and torso still having rotting flesh clinging to them barely. There didn't appear to be any legs to the body although it was hard to tell because of the poor light. Fred wondered how long they had been down here.  
  
She moved away from that particular area and looked on the other side, here there were more bodies, these were tied up with thick metal chains. The actual thing inside was just a skeleton, there was nothing left of it apart from one thing, a gold chain around its neck, there seemed to be a ruby or some kind of precious stone embedded in it. Fred couldn't see it clearly and had no desire to move from her relatively safe space away from most of the dead things.  
  
She also noticed that most of them weren't human, one wore a miethril vest, it obviously didn't protect him well in his last battle. Fred guessed that it had been put there more out of ceremony than for protection. She thought it might come in useful but still found that she couldn't move, maybe when she had gotten used to the place more, then she might venture from her corner, that was, of course, if Saurauman didn't kill her first. She wondered if the people that were also in the prison were criminals but she thought they were more likely to be like her, innocent victims of the White Wizard's evil regime. Fred looked up towards the ceiling and then wished she hadn't, above her were more bones, all different sizes. Some were tiny but Fred couldn't see whether they were hobbit bones or the remains of children, if she was honest she really didn't want to know. So much had happened to her that she didn't think she could handle anything else that would make her start crying again. One thing that she was grateful for was that these bones were bleached white, they had no flesh on them. Fred didn't think she would have been able to handle that.  
  
To Fred this was just a bad nightmare, she hoped she'd wake up soon because it was beginning to get too frightening. She didn't' like to think what was going to happen next. Right then she wished her friends would come and get her, she wondered if her and Bob's psychic powers would work over such a distance, she couldn't feel Bob's presence any more. Usually it was quite strong but now there was just and empty space. Fred suddenly felt incredibly unnerved and put her head back into her lap. This didn't help a whole lot because she just started remembering what she had just seen and her imagination only made the scene worse. If only she could these images out of her mind things would be a whole lot better but they stayed there. Even though Fred was tempted to open her eyes again something made her keep them shut and her head buried, at least that way she wouldn't have to actually see what was happening around her.  
  
She wished her friends or family were around her, they might not be able to protect her but at least she wouldn't be alone that way. Fred tried to think about what might happen to her next, she hoped it wouldn't be anything too bad, Fred knew the kinds of things Ned wrote about Isenguard, she hoped they were just stories she didn't want to be tortured or anything bad like that. Fred started crying again and tried to picture what her friends were doing right then, she hoped they were looking for her, they might find her, if they're lucky.  
  
**  
  
Boromir still didn't know where he was, the woman had come back carrying armfuls of food, all kinds of things, some which Boromir had never seen before. She seemed pleased about what she was carrying. She had gone into another section of the burrow she lived in, Boromir presumed it was a kitchen of some kind, Boromir wouldn't know too much about this he very rarely ventured into the kitchen of his house in Middle Earth, usually only the servants went in places like that. This girl really didn't seem like a servant, she wasn't the usual royal clothes Boromir was used but she didn't look like she was used to serving people. She certainly wasn't a warrior and didn't act like a healer, although she had helped him. Boromir had to remind himself that he was no longer in Middle Earth and things were obviously different here. Maybe this was how everyone dressed in this world, all this was far too complicated for the man, he had no idea where he was but he was starting to think that it wasn't at all good.  
  
The woman came back into the room she carried a plate filled with the food she had just brought into the house. Boromir took the food, he hadn't realised how hungry he was until now. He thanked the woman and looked deep into her eyes, they were beautiful green, for a minute Boromir inspected her properly, she was quite short but not too short, she seemed very thin but Boromir guessed that was because of her life-style more than her choice. She had brown hair that had been tied back with a piece of ribbon, it looked untidy but she still looked so good to Borormir. She reminded him of one of the women from Gondor. Her clothes were old and torn in places but clean, she obviously took care of herself despite the lack of money and possessions. Boromir found himself attracted to her in a way he had never experienced before. There was something about her that enthralled him.  
  
She had the same feeling about Boromir, there was no doubt that he was strange, he carried weapons around with him, but when she looked into his deep, telling eyes she felt a warmth that she guessed no one else had felt before. She didn't know where he was from or what he was doing the night she saved him, all she knew was that something inside her had encouraged her to help him. She didn't know why because if she was honest with herself she really didn't find him that attractive.  
  
She moved closer to Boromir when she saw he was looking at her, he brought his arms gently around her waist and pulled her even closer, he didn't want to do this but the woman was so irresistible to him. She didn't fight him when he grabbed her so he continued. They were now face to face, they glared into each others eyes and tried to unearth the secrets that hid behind them. Both saw pain and suffering. And both understood how the other felt. There was a chemistry, a spark between them, it was almost electric. Their lips finally met and they kissed tenderly. After the embrace was over they both took a step back and looked at one another, the woman walked off back into the kitchen whilst Boromir stood in wonder at what he had just done. When they were each sure the other wasn't looking they smiled. 


	9. visions and torture

Ch 9 visions and torture  
  
Fred was curled up in her corner once again trying to fall asleep, if only she could just close her eyes and shut out this terrible experience. She had tried not to look up too much, the sight of the bodies still made her feel scared. Just as she was thinking about getting up and looking around the room again, just in case she had missed something the first time, she thought it was a long shot but it was worth it. A soldier dressed in the most uncomfortable looking clothes Fred had ever seen. He didn't really look quite as scary as the others but he still made her feel very nervous, he was carrying a bowl in his right hand and a glass in his left. At first Fred didn't know what he was going to do, she retreated further into her corner afraid he might be there to hurt her. Last time an orc had come in he had grabbed her and hit her hard in the stomach, every time she tried to escape from his grip he hit her harder. Fred was still in pain and didn't want it to happen again, she didn't think she could handle that.  
  
The orc didn't go anywhere near her, he seemed quite nervous about being in the same cell as her, he walked in a little way and slowly put the bowl and cup on the floor, he noticed that Fred was cowering on the floor in the corner. He looked at her for a while and was just about to take a step forward to check she wasn't too badly hurt when she led out a little squeal. He stopped and turned away from her, he slammed the door behind him. Fred jumped at this. She didn't know what had happened but she was glad that the orc had left her alone.  
  
Fred moved towards the food that the orc had left her on the floor, she wasn't sure what it was but if it was food she was grateful, she hadn't eaten since the night before and she was starving. She reached the food and drink and looked at the stuff that was on her plate. It looked vile, like discoloured mash potato, she didn't like the look of it but she was hungry. She decided that she should start off with the drink, she was thirsty as well. She took the drink and smelled it wondering what it was. It didn't smell very nice at all, like mud; in fact, it might well have been mud for all Fred knew. She took a small sip and spat it out just as quickly. It tasted awful, she wished it were water; she could just drink a glass of cool water.  
  
Fred knew that there wasn't much she could do about her diet at the moment so she decided that she should just eat the food the orc had left her, at least it was food and she presumed it was edible. Fred wondered if the stuff would taste nice, it certainly didn't look nice but at least it was food. She didn't know when she would next get the chance to eat anything so she picked some of the mash-looking food in the wooden spoon the orc had provided for her. She raised it slowly to her mouth.  
  
It smelled even worse that it looked but looked tasteless, which to Fred was a good thing. She put it in her mouth and swallowed it trying not to taste it. As soon as she did she felt sick, it did taste of something but Fred wasn't sure what. Suddenly she felt a wave of sickness run through her. Her head started to hurt once more and then she had to fight with herself to try and stay conscious. She felt like she was slipping away. Fred collapsed to the floor and curled into a ball hoping that it would somehow take away the pain. She turned to her side and vomited, she couldn't help but letting out a scream when she saw blood. Whatever was in that food must have been a poison of some kind. At that moment she didn't really care a whole lot, all she could think about was the pain, it was so intense, she had never felt anything like it ever. Fred closed her eyes for just a second and the most terrible images flashed through her mind, awful things that she had never seen before, images of her friends, dead. There were all kinds of terrible things such as monsters, goblins, orcs and worst of all bodies, thousands of them. They were the most dominant things in her mind. Some were of friends and family and others were just so mutilated that she couldn't tell who they were. Fred cried out wishing the images would fade, trying to tell herself that they were just in her imagination and that there was nothing real about them but this just didn't work, they seemed so real. Fred's whole body shook uncontrollably, she felt so cold but in actual fact her fever was strong.  
  
Outside the cell two orcs were listening from the other side of the door, they had known exactly what had been put in there with her. It was an old torture method not used very much any more because it was too terrifying for most creatures to handle. They laughed when they heard her crying out in pain, they knew of the kinds of terrible things the mind conjured up and they were enjoying it. They only wished they could see the things this pathetic little child was thinking of, that would have been the most pleasing thing for them.  
  
Fred was now screaming at what she was seeing, her mind was on nothing else but the images, she had never experienced anything like it. It was as if they were in the room with her but she couldn't escape them. She called out her parents' names and then Bob and Ned's. She wished they were there with her; they might be able to stop the images.  
  
**  
  
Bob and Ned had been walking for hours and it was beginning to get dark again. Despite the fact they felt they had been walking forever it seemed that they had covered very little ground. Bob knew this was mainly because of the hobbits, they couldn't walk very fast and she sympathised with them but she also wished they would move faster. Ever since Fred had been kidnapped she had a strong feeling that she was in great pain and danger. It was what drove her on and what made her so impatient. She didn't think Ned could feel the same thing but she understood that something bad was happening and she respected Bob's feelings of fear.  
  
The sun was going down and it was almost getting too dark to see where they were going. Ned wished they had a proper torch with them but she also knew that was impossible. All they had were a few small candles which were fading fast, they wouldn't last very long. Ned didn't like walking in the dark, she knew it was dangerous despite all the night treks she had done. Ned had gotten into trouble too many times; there were many stories about electric fences and hospitals. But this wasn't the main fear this time, there was a black rider out there somewhere and that was far more dangerous than an electric fence.  
  
Reluctantly they agreed that they should find a clearing and make a shelter as they had done the night before. At first Bob hadn't agreed, she was so eager to find her friend. On the other hand Bob knew that she would be little use to Fred if she couldn't walk through exhaustion so she agreed with Ned and they went to find a clearing as they had done the night before.  
  
On their way to find a suitable place to camp Bob had one of her strong feelings, she was used to these by now but this one was far stronger than ever before. At first she didn't mention it, she knew what Ned thought of these. She carried on walking, suddenly feeling very tired. Ned was far out in front urging the hobbits to keep up. Bob suddenly stopped in her tracks, the feeling was getting stronger, it was fear, so much fear. She had never sensed anything like it before. Sam and Frodo came up behind her, wondering why she had stopped. Frodo came alongside her and looked up at her concerned. She didn't say anything to him at first, she was just trying to figure out what this feeling was. She couldn't understand it, at first she thought it was pain but not physical pain, mental anguish. It was so strong she was worried it might take over her.  
  
Up ahead, Ned was now talking to herself about how they should build the shelter, she turned around to see if Bob was listening and was startled to find that she was no longer there. Ned looked around her and saw Bob a way back. Ned stared at her for a while not understanding why she had stopped when she felt like there was something wrong, it was no where near as strong as Bob was feeling but it was upsetting enough. Bob turned to face Ned and looked her right in the eye; she had a look about her that Ned had never seen in her friend before. Bob closed her eyes and pressed her head into her hands as if trying to get what she was seeing out of her head. Tears were now streaming down her face, the images were so strong. Far away she heard Frodo's voice calling to her but it was so distant that it hardly seemed real.  
  
Suddenly and unexpectedly Bob spoke.  
  
"She's seeing all the bad things in the world, but not our world. There's death, so much death. She's in so much pain. Hold on Fred, I'm coming." At the mention of Fred's name Ned walked towards her but stopped as if something held her back. "She's so scared, they're doing terrible things to her. She's begging for our help why won't they leave her alone? I don't know what they're doing to her. She's crying out for our help. We're coming Fred, it's going to be okay." Bob shouted this last part as if she was talking to some unseen force. "I can see her, oh God we have to help her. Leave her alone. You're going to be alright Fred, we're going to help you." Bob repeated this last part several times in a soft voice, it was almost as if she was talking directly to Fred.  
  
The voices that had plagued Bob's head were suddenly gone and she opened her eyes and looked despairingly at Ned and fell to the ground. Frodo had tried to catch her and help her fall but he was of little use. Ned rushed over and looked over Bob, she had never seen her friend like this before. Something had obviously upset her; Bob was shaking all over and whispering Fred's name over and over again. Ned wondered what she had seen but knew Bob was in no state to tell her.  
  
Ned shouted at Sam to get a blanket out of his bag and put it over Bob. Ned was worried by now, she knew how powerful Bob's powers could be and they sometimes scared even her but never before had Bob been afraid of herself. Sam brought the blanket over and handed it absently to Ned, she grabbed it off him impatiently and put it carefully over Bob. Ned knew they were vulnerable out in the open like this but she also knew it might be dangerous to move Bob in a state of shock. The sun had now almost completely disappeared and this was starting to worry Ned, she knew that Wraiths were far better at tracking in the dark; she didn't want to take the chance of getting caught.  
  
Bob was pulling the blanket away from her and trying to hit out at Ned. Frodo put a hand on her forehead hoping it might calm her down slightly but it did little good but show him that she had a fever. He still had no idea what had happened but he knew it was serious enough to make Ned worried. Sam was just stood up in front of them all looking nervously around him.  
  
From somewhere in the forest a noise came, it sounded like a squeal but they couldn't be sure, Bob suddenly stopped kicking out and laid absolutely still as if she was aware of what was going on. They all stopped and froze wondering what was out there, they hoped it wasn't a Wraith, that was the last thing they needed. Bob started whimpering as though she knew what was going to happen. A wave of exhaustion had taken over her and she felt completely weak. She was relieved that the blurriness that had taken over her when she saw those things was beginning to fade, she was so glad that the feeling had passed, now however, she was beginning to see the visions much more clearly and that was the worst thing. She noticed Ned leaning over her with a look of concern on her face. She also saw Frodo, it was like a dream (apart from the Ned bit).  
  
Sam shouted out,  
  
"We should leave, we have no idea what that is out there, we could be in danger. Mr Frodo, we need to go, I don't feel safe here."  
  
"I know Sam, and we will just wait a minute. We can't leave without Bob." Frodo replied almost impatiently.  
  
"It's okay, I think I'm okay now." Came the small and tired voice of Bob from underneath the blanket.  
  
Ned looked unconvinced at Bob's confidence, although it was dark Ned knew that she was still very pale and probably still had a fever. She could also tell from her voice that she was tired. However, she knew that Sam was right, it was dangerous to stay out her in the open, they needed to find somewhere where the Wraith wasn't going to find them. Ned knew that that meant getting Bob to walk and she knew that it would probably be hard for her, she could tell that her friend was still weak and upset from what had happened to her.  
  
Bob saw the concerned look on Ned's face and tried to reassure her with a smile but it was wasted not just because of the dark but also because she knew that Ned would be able to see through it. Bob still felt that fear inside her, she still felt the pain and could still see the awful images. Just thinking about them brought them back, she closed her eyes to block them out but they only became more vivid. Ned could see the anguish in her friend's face but decided that they should leave.  
  
"Can you walk Bob?" Bob opened her eyes and nodded unsurely.  
  
Ned nodded back and pulled the blanket off of her, she saw her friend shiver at the sudden burst of cold. Bob tried to sit up but the tiredness seemed to have drained all her strength from her body and she laid back down. Ned looked at her for a second and let her rest, she wished she knew what was happening to her friend and wished there was something she could do to help. Bob closed her eyes. She was now filled with embarrassment as well as fear. She opened her eyes and had a determined look on her face; she knew she was putting the others in danger. She started to sit up once more, just as she felt herself once again falling she felt herself being supported by Ned. Ned held her arm; she smiled understandingly at Bob and helped pull her to her feet. Sam was packing his blanket away, for some reason he looked very angry about what was happening. Frodo held on to Bob's arm even though he could do very little to support her he figured it might make her feel more balanced.  
  
Ned bent down to pick up the bag she had been carrying for Frodo. She never let go of Bob's arm afraid that her friend might fall. Bob was putting a surprising amount of weight on her friend, Ned knew that whatever had happened to her had disturbed her and weakened her. She had never seen anyone like this before and her friend's vulnerability scared her, Bob had always been the strong one and hated feeling so helpless.  
  
Bob pulled her arm away from Ned's and tried to stand on her own for a second, immediately she felt weak, she felt like she was going to fall. Ned realised that Bob had pulled away from her and saw the tiredness on her face. Ned quickly put her arm around Bob's back and held her upright. Bob had no choice she leaned against Ned wishing she could do something for herself but knowing that something was holding her back. When Ned felt Bob straighten slightly she knew she was ready to stand with minimal support. Ned knew how much her friend hated relying on people so much but also knew that she was ill, although it puzzled her how this was happening. Even though Ned knew how angry Bob would be that she couldn't stand on her own she kept supporting her and was surprised when Bob didn't fight back. She seemed completely helpless, her head was on her chest as though she had no strength at all.  
  
Frodo still held on to her arm wishing he was taller and could do more to help, he knew what it was like to feel so helpless, he himself had experienced the same feeling at Weathertop when he was stabbed. He lay helpless in Strider's arms. He could sympathise with Bob now. Frodo saw Ned struggling to help Bob and hold the fairly heavy bag. He quickly let go of Bob's arm and walked around to help Ned, at first she insisted that she was all right but when Bob leaned even further onto her she handed the bag over to Frodo being careful not to let go of Bob.  
  
Frodo and Sam walked ahead, pleased that they were going at a far slower pace than before but also wary because they knew that if they were attacked nothing could help them. Every step was exhausting for Bob she was trying desperately to help Ned but not doing very well at all, she was just so tired and it got worse when she thought of the things she'd seen. As soon as her mind wandered she felt herself slipping but was glad that Ned was there to offer support. Bob knew that it must be hard for Ned as well, they had been walking all day and Ned was obviously tired as well. She was also trying to navigate and find a safe path through the forest, if they fell they could easily attract attention to whatever was out there. Bob also knew that Ned was worried about what was hunting them, she was sure there was something out there.  
  
It was now completely black in the forest, they couldn't see where they were going but they also couldn't hear the same squealing they had heard before which was a good thing. Bob seemed to be getting slower and Ned was convinced that she couldn't go much further. She knew they had to find shelter, she was unsure of the time but she knew it was very late. This whole thing was starting to become more dangerous than she could imagine.  
  
Even with everything that was going on Ned was still very much aware that Fred was out there and quite possibly injured, she was sure that Bob's sudden illness had something to do with Fred. She had been wanting to ask Bob what she saw but she decided that now was not the time. Whilst her mind was on other things Bob was getting more and more tired, she didn't feel the same support coming from Ned as she had before. Bob felt herself slipping away once again and although she fought against it she couldn't hold it back any longer.  
  
Bob felt herself falling to the floor, she could have just drifted off to sleep but once again the images came and stunned her back to consciousness. Ned's grip was hardly there anymore and that frightened Bob, she felt like she was slipping. Her legs buckled beneath her and she almost fell. Ned grabbed her quickly and almost fell with her. Instead she grabbed her and held her still for a moment. Bob was almost unconscious, Ned knew they needed a break but she was reluctant to stop now, she also knew her friend couldn't go any further without a rest and she herself was starting to feel the tiredness. Ned looked around her, not seeing anything but the outlines and occasional movement of the resident wild life around her. Her eyes came across a large log that was laying on the ground. Ned called out to Frodo and Sam and they stopped and moved back to the place where Ned and Bob had stopped.  
  
Ned dragged Bob over to the log and sat her down, still holding her in case she fell off. Ned sat down herself and beckoned to Frodo to hand the bag over. Frodo did as he was told, knowing that Ned was very concerned about her friend and also that the pair were very tired. Ned reached into the bag and took out the water bottle, she handed it to Bob and she gladly accepted it. Bob knew how hard this was for Ned and was about to apologise when there came a rustling sound from a bush near-by.  
  
Ned was suddenly alert and trying to figure out what was lurking around there, she was worried that whatever it was was dangerous, she knew they couldn't handle an attack now.  
  
Ned quickly put the bottle back into the bag and silently looked at Bob, Bob nodded understandingly, although she was tried she knew they had to get out of this place and find shelter. Ned grabbed her hand and helped her up. This time Bob was far more helpful, she still leaned against Ned but something drove her on, maybe it was the thought of dying, whatever it was at that moment in time it didn't matter a whole lot to either of them. Frodo grabbed the bag and moved silently away, Sam was already moving forwards, eager to get away from whatever was stalking them.  
  
They moved fairly rapidly through the forest now, Bob's breathing was heavy but she seemed to understand that she had to move quickly and she did. Ned was surprised at the sudden burst of strength but pleased they could finally move quickly. Ned didn't feel at all tired any more, she just had the feeling of needing to escape and she did. When she found that she didn't need to help Bob as much any more she was filled with a new hope that they were going to be all right. She smiled when she saw a suitable clearing ahead of them and breathed a sigh of relief when she could no longer hear the sound of rustling behind her.  
  
They stopped and Ned carefully sat Bob down on the floor. All of them sat down relieved that the journey was over for the night. Bob was now laid down and breathing heavily and once again saying Fred's name over and over again, this time in a less distressed voice.  
  
**  
  
The images still flashed through Fred's mind but they were no longer as strong, it was as if she were sharing them with someone. Another thing was that she no longer felt alone, she felt someone else's presence just for a few moments but that feeling stayed with her. She didn't know what it was but she was pleased it had happened. 


	10. too comfortable

Ch 10 Too comfortable?  
  
Merry and Pippin had slept all night, they were pleased to have enough food and a warm, comfortable bed to sleep in. The woman who rescued them from their prison had been very kind to them and had given them everything they asked for even though the two hobbits hadn't told her what they were or where they came from. The one thing they had stressed was that they had to help their friends. They had tried to explain why without giving too much away. Although this woman was friendly they still didn't know who they should trust, they knew their situation was fragile and they didn't want to risk anything.  
  
Pippin had been eager to tell the woman everything but Merry had insisted that they keep quiet at least until they knew where their friends were. There had been a connection between Pippin and the woman, he had felt comfortable around her and he trusted her completely. There was something about her that made Pippin trusts her and like her, he just wished that Merry would be the same but the older hobbit was far more wary. Merry had always been the more sensible out of the two; he always looked out for his cousin who had little idea of danger.  
  
They had decided that that morning they would go out and look for their friends, the thought of someone like Gimli being out there alone with no guide terrified them.  
  
Bob was lying comfortably under a blanket Sam had provided, she still felt that tiredness that had swept over her earlier. The darkness had now left the woods and the place looked far less threatening. Ned was also asleep, she seemed to be just as tired and had slept soundly that night despite the threat of a Ring Wraith and Bob's condition. At first she said that she would stay awake and keep watch but when Bob had woken in the morning she had found Ned asleep against a tree.  
  
Frodo and Sam were also asleep, they were just lying on the ground without blankets, something they were used to, they had spent many nights in Middle Earth like this. They had been glad when Ned had finally agreed that it was safe to stop, Sam didn't think he could walk much further. His feet hurt more than ever and he was getting increasingly worried about Frodo and the Ring. Frodo had also slept soundly that night but once he woke thinking he heard a noise, he soon realised that it was probably just a stray animal and had forced himself to go back to sleep. The temptation to wake Sam had been strong but then he remembered what had happened to Fred and decided it was probably best to just keep quiet.  
  
Bob sat up and looked around her. The clearing Ned had led them to wasn't as good as their last camp, she noticed that no one had bothered to make a fire, she wondered if she should make one, after all the others had worked hard last night looking after her. She sat up but as soon as she did she saw the images that had been in her mind last night. They were now faded and nowhere near as powerful but they still echoed in her mind. She stayed still, for the first time letting the images develop into something more. They were disturbing sights, of torture and pain, she felt it all over again. Another thing she saw was a shape, something that was very familiar to her yet she had never actually seen it. Then it came to her, it was the lidless eye of Sauron. She didn't know how it was connected but it was by far the most powerful image.  
  
Ned awoke at first not knowing where she was. She saw Bob sat up with a strange look on her face; it almost looked like what Ned had called Fred's thinking face. It was strange to see because Fred had always insisted that she didn't have a thinking face but Ned had teased her about it. If she had told Bob that she had a thinking face she would probably kill her. She laughed to herself then turned her attention back to Bob, she still had that spaced out look on her face, Ned wondered if it had something to do with what she saw last night. She got up and walked over to Bob.  
  
Bob looked up suddenly when she realised Ned was behind her, she looked at her for a second and then said,  
  
"It's so clear now, Ned. I didn't understand what I was seeing last night but I can now, I think it has something to do with Fred but I'm not sure how. I know she's in trouble, she's calling out to me. She's in pain and she's frightened. I don't know where she is but I know she doesn't like it there. It was such a powerful feeling last night and although it's fading now it's much easier to understand. Ned we have to help Fred, she's so afraid."  
  
Ned looked at Bob for a bit, for a second she wondered if her friend was all right, she was making little sense and Ned doubted that she even knew what she was talking about. Bob saw this in Ned's face and said  
  
"Ned, I'm not crazy, I know what I saw and we have to help Fred. Please you have to believe me. Please"  
  
"I do believe you Bob, I just don't understand how all this is happening, that's all."  
  
"I know but I know what I saw and I think it was Fred calling for help. We have to help her Ned."  
  
"We will. I promise."  
  
**  
  
Fred's parents had called all her friends, they had searched the neighbourhood at least three times but no one had seen her. They had also been in touch with Bob and Ned's parents and they were all in the same situation. They had been in touch with the police but they had their hands full with weird people running all over Salisbury. Fred's dad had decided that he should looked further a field and search in town. He had driven off in his car and searched for about an hour. On his way home he had come across a man looking very lost by the roadside. At this point he was willing to ask anyone if they had seen his daughter. He pulled over and thought he recognised the man, he looked somehow familiar. When he pulled over the man obviously didn't recognise him.  
  
"Can I help you? You look a little lost."  
  
"Yes, you can tell me where I am."  
  
"You're in Salisbury. Do you need to go somewhere? Are you looking for something in particular?"  
  
"No not really, where are you going?" Before he could answer Aragorn continued, "Can I come with you?"  
  
Fred's father nodded and opened the car door for him. Now he knew he knew this man but he still couldn't think where from. They drove in silence for a long time, just as the reached traffic lights Fred's father asked.  
  
"Have you seen a young girl looking sort of lost? My daughter went missing a few days ago and I really want to find her. I'm worried. So have you seen her?"  
  
Aragorn shook his head not really paying a lot of attention to the man; all he wanted to do was find his friends, that was the most important thing right then. He looked over to the man that had picked him up and saw the worry on his face, he wondered if he was feeling the same about his daughter as he was feeling about his friends.  
  
"I haven't see anyone, I tried to stay away from people. I'm not from around here you know, I don't have a clue where I am. The thing is, I'm looking for my companions, we got separated and I need to find them. If you help me look for them then I will help you find your daughter. You have the knowledge of this place and I have the tracking skills. I think we could cover more ground."  
  
Fred's father nodded.  
  
"First we have to tell my wife, she's just as worried as I am. By the way, do I know you? It's just you look very familiar."  
  
"I don't think so. I'm not from around here."  
  
**  
  
Gimli was still sat in his little cell, he had told himself that he would start digging his escape soon but every time he went to do it he just remembered that there were guards and a very large prisoner in this place with him. He came up with another plan, he would wait until someone came into the cell and when the door was open he would push his way through. It was far more realistic than digging his way out with a penknife and a spoon.  
  
**  
  
Legolas was still in the store, he had been trying on clothes for a while and the shopkeeper was beginning to get a little tired of handing him clothes although there was something fascinating about this man, he was so elegant. The man hoped Legolas would buy most of these clothes. The shopkeeper wished he could just pull back the changing room's curtain and Legolas putting on the clothes, he wondered what the elf looked like. Legolas' cry of delight interrupted his thoughts, he had done this every time he tried on a new suit.  
  
"I like this one best." Cried Legolas, this was another thing that the elf had said many times. "I'll take this one."  
  
Legolas came out of the changing room, the keeper was once again entranced by the blonde man, he was so attractive. He wondered what his friends would say if he brought this attractive thing home. He smiled at Legolas who looked very dashing in his grey suit.  
  
"It looks very nice sir."  
  
Legolas nodded in agreement and smiled back at the man. He picked up his old clothes and his bow and arrows and started walking out of the shop. He was almost at the door when he heard the shopkeepers voice calling him back.  
  
"Sir, you need to pay for those clothes."  
  
Legolas looked at the man with curiosity, he didn't understand. The man held out his hand and said  
  
"That'll be four hundred pounds sir." Legolas was very confused, he didn't know what the man wanted, he had everything he had come for and the man wanted something in return. Legolas held out his hand in the same way the man had. The shopkeeper looked as confused as the elf at this gesture.  
  
"Sir, you need to give me money for what you've bought."  
  
"Bought?"  
  
"Yes sir. I give you clothes and you give me money."  
  
"Money?"  
  
"Yes sir, you know, currency, pounds."  
  
Legolas just kept looking blankly at the man, he had heard of men trading in Gondor but he himself had never experienced it before and he was confused at the man's request.  
  
"You don't have any money do you?" The man asked impatiently.  
  
Legolas shook his head. The man looked at him for a second and walked over to him. He took Legolas' old clothes off him and put them on a seat, he then moved round to the back if the elf and removed the expensive jacket. Legolas understood that the man wanted the suit back so he gave him the jacket and went back to the changing room and removed the new clothes and put his old ones on. This place was very confusing, he wondered if his friends were having the same problems him.  
  
He gave the man the clothes and walked out of the shop, he was once more in the open. The shopkeeper smiled at the elf and laughed softly at the thought of someone coming into his shop and thinking the clothes were free. **  
  
The other eight Wraiths that had been searching for the other members of the Fellowship had now split up, they were going after each one separately, that was their orders. They all had a common goal, to find the Ring but they were under the control of Sauron and did his orders. One had already taken out a human and the other eight were after the fellowship, that was their objective and they were going to do it. The Witch king was in the lead as usual but now they had split up and each wanted to reach their targets.  
  
They always felt the presence of the Ring, it was what drove them but now they were also in tune with the members of the Fellowship and they would bring them down one by one.  
  
One of the Wraiths was in the woods trying to find the Ring barer. That was, of course, the Witch king. Several times the shadow had come close to the Ring but the Ring evaded him time and time again. The Ring was always close though and the black figure would take it to Sauron eventually. It smelled fear close by and knew it was from the Ring barer.  
  
**  
  
Boromir and the woman had sat together talking about themselves, Boromir was careful not to reveal too much about himself he was still unsure as to whether he could trust the woman even though he had saved him.  
  
He found out that her name was Vikki. She had left home when she was young and had lived here for a long time; she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and the thought of her made him feel warm inside. Their first kiss had been so passionate and he now craved for it to happen again. In the back of his mind he was frightened, he had no idea where he was or how he got there but right then all he was interested in was this woman. To him she was irresistible. She was in the middle of a sentence when he grabbed her and kissed her roughly once again, she kissed him back with the same roughness  
  
Vikki pulled Boromir's shirt off and pushed him back. The moment was so intense that Boromir was taken back with it. He didn't fight at all but let her continue with what she was doing.  
  
Just at that moment there came a loud noise there was someone else inside. Boromir pushed Vikki off him and picked up his sword. He led her closer to the door, unwilling to leave her behind. She hid behind him and let him shield her. Neither had any idea what was out there but Boroir thought it might have been an orc or Wraith. Of course, he didn't tell Vikki this, as he knew it would only upset her more. The door crashed down and they heard a voice shouting loudly, he was calling Vikki's name. The man came through the door and Boromir instantly pounced on him, pinning him to the ground with his sword at the man's throat.  
  
Vikki was in shock at first, not only at the man but also at Boromir's strength, when she realised who the man was she grabbed Boromir's arm and screamed for him to let her go. She quickly explained that the man was he ex boyfriend. Boromir reluctantly let the man go. He stood up and stood next to Vikki. The man moved backwards and shouted at Vikki to keep Boromir under control. Boromir still held his sword ready to attack the man again and the man knew this and stayed well back.  
  
"Get out of here. Now." Boromir commanded.  
  
The man did as he was told and stumbled back out the door. When he was gone Boromir replaced his sword and turned to Vikki who instantly kissed him in appreciation.  
  
**  
  
Bob and Ned were now fully awake and were wondering whether they should just go and wake up Frodo and Sam, they had been reluctant at first, they knew the hobbits had had a hard time with the walking that night. They had slept soundly all night and were still curled up in their warm blankets. Ned knew that they could not linger too long, the Wraith wouldn't be far behind them and they were far easier to track when they weren't moving.  
  
Luckily Bob had made a good recovery over night and was now anxious to get moving. Ned was equally anxious to get moving but for her she just wanted to get home and away from this place, it was starting to get too much. Ned knew that Bob wanted to leave because of Fred but for her that was good enough. Surprisingly Sam and Frodo weren't as keen to leave as the two humans were. They had spent a lot of time out in the wild and were used to it now.  
  
Ned decided that she should make a fire, at least then they could eat, she wondered if she could find something out in the woods. She knew that Bob would object to her killing any animals so that was out of the question. She thought maybe she could collect some kind of fruit. Ned didn't know a whole lot about the foods that could be found in the forest but right then that didn't matter a lot. What was important was that they got something to eat. They knew their supplies wouldn't last forever and the sausages and meats that Sam carried were slowly getting rotten. Ned asked Bob to go and collect some firewood; Ned never seemed to do that kind of thing herself.  
  
Bob walked off to get the firewood. She was still a little dizzy from her experience last night but apart from that she felt find, except those images that just went round and round in her mind. It was as if Fred were still calling for her but there was nothing she could do. After what happened last time she went into the woods she was extra careful, she didn't want to get lost again especially with the Wraith out there somewhere.  
  
Ned began looking for stones to put around the fire, she always felt important when she had to light a fire and this was no exception the thought that everyone depended on her was thrilling. She looked over at Frodo and Sam who were still asleep. Even thought she had been with them for a while she still couldn't quite believe that it was really them, they looked real yet somehow they were unreal. It was a very strange thing to look at them and know everything about them including what was going to happen to them. She had debated whether she should tell them about what was going to happen to them but she decided that it was best not to. She knew the kinds of effects that could occur if she told them anything. It could change the course of the future and she didn't want that to happen. She wondered just what effects it would have on them, would it completely change the novel if she did anything or would this in itself change everything?  
  
Bob came back with an armful of wood and interrupted Ned's thoughts. Ned went through the process of lighting the fire, she tried to make a lot of noise so she could 'accidentally' wake the hobbits who seemed to sleep through anything.  
  
It didn't take long for the fire to get to a good height, Ned had considered that it might be dangerous to light the fire, there might be Wraiths out there who would be instantly attracted to the smoke but she knew that she had no choice, they were starving. After a little while longer the hobbits still hadn't woken up, Ned decided that it was time they got moving and had to get moving. She walked over to them and tapped one, he didn't move Ned thought this quite strange especially in this situation. She moved to the other and tapped him and nothing happened. Ned was getting worried now, she roughly pulled the blanket on the first hobbit back, she gasped when she realised there was nothing there, just another blanket underneath. She ripped the other one back and found the same thing. She looked around and saw the hobbits bags on the floor, something occurred to her, they could have been taken by the Wraith. She shouted at Bob who quickly rushed over and was just as surprised as Ned when she saw the fake hobbits. Neither knew what had happened but something seemed strange about this, they didn't know a lot about Wraiths but they guessed that they wouldn't take the time to replace their victims with rolled up blankets. No, it wasn't Wraiths, it was something else, something else was stalking them and they had no idea what was going on or who it was.  
  
They looked around wildly, they started calling the hobbit's names hoping someone would hear them, they were all too aware that their were other things out there. They had no choice but to help the hobbits. They looked all around the camp for signs of a struggle or anything that would give them a clue as to where they had gone. Somewhere in the bushes there came a sound that made the two friends stop, they instantly froze knowing instinctively what it was. Out of the bushes a black figure came, it was far more scary than it had looked in the movie, also it was a lot taller than they had expected, the red eyes of the horse made them freeze. It was a terrifying sight, they now understood why the hobbits had been so scared of it. Bob and Ned fell to the ground and tried to crawl to the side hoping the Wraith would leave them, they weren't important but in the back of their minds they thought about what had happened to Fred, if they took her then they could just as easily take them as well. They knew they had to escape and dived under the horse to try and escape the Wraith, it looked confused at this move and tried to turn, the Wraith drew his sword and looked around, it raised it's head and sniffed the area. Bob and Ned hid silently in the bushes, Ned was tempted to stick her hand out and test which way the wind was blowing, she figured that they were safe as long as they stayed down wind but she was unsure as to whether that applied to the Wraiths, also she didn't want her hand cut off.  
  
Finally the Wraith moved off, the camp was completely wrecked, Ned and Bob came from the bushes and looked around, now they were sure the hobbits had been captured.  
  
Bob wondered if they had been taken in the same way that Fred had. For some reason none of this made sense to Bob, she didn't understand how the Wraith could have taken them without waking the two humans, after all they weren't renowned for their stealth or silence. Another thing that puzzled her was why the Wraith had come back, it seemed confused that the hobbits weren't there, it didn't seem to want Bob and Ned, it had been looking for the hobbits but they were all ready gone. Ned didn't seem to think of any of this and it took a while for Bob to convince her that the hobbits weren't taken by the Wraith but by something else. At first Ned didn't believe anything Bob said but that soon changed when her theory began to make some kind of sense. Ned was trying to collect up all the things the Wraith had destroyed, she was still stunned by the fact that the Wraith was so big, if it was big to her then it must have looked enormous to a hobbit or even to Fred who wasn't as tall as Ned. At the thought of this Ned laughed, Fred would have killed her if she had said that at school. Bob stared at the laughing Ned wondering what was so funny, she didn't find their situation at all amusing.  
  
Ned was the first to be ready to leave, Bob was still in shock from everything that had happened so far, they had been through so much that now they just wished it was over. Bob still blamed herself for everything that had happened, she was the one that had suggested going into the forest thinking it would be safer, she knew she should have gone into the town, at least they wouldn't have to face Ring Wraiths.  
  
She pushed all these thoughts out of her mind and picked up the few things remaining that weren't shattered after the attack. She followed Ned silently through the woods, she was getting sick and tired of seeing so many trees, it was really getting on her nerves. She wished she could see buildings or roads, anything that reminded her of home. While she was thinking all about this she was suddenly startled when she bumped into Ned who had suddenly stopped. Bob looked around herself, dazed for a second. She looked around Ned trying to figure out why her friend had stopped, she soon saw the cause; there was a small hut, made of wood. Neither knew that there were people living in the woods, they had certainly never come across it before. The strange thing was that there was smoke coming from the chimney, there was obviously someone living there but they had no idea who.  
  
They had a thought that who ever it was might be the ones that had kidnapped Frodo and Sam. Ned and Bob knew they had to go in and find out but there was something about the house that made them jumpy. Neither wanted to go in but they would have to if they wanted to help Frodo and Sam. At the very least they could find someone to talk to and maybe some food.  
  
Little did they know that the hut wasn't nearly as welcoming as they thought it would be. 


	11. revelations

Ch 11 Revelations  
  
Aragorn was by now used to the moving car but every time they violently stopped it made his stomach turn, he had been on many different modes of transport but this was definitely the strangest thing he'd been on. Despite this he kept a close lookout for both his friends and this man's daughter. He had made a promise and he was going to keep it. He had seen a picture of his daughter and had confirmed that he had not seen her in the town. John, the girls father, had visibly lost hope for the moment and it made Aragorn feel sorry for him and once again reassured him that together they could probably find them.  
  
They finally stopped outside a building that Aragorn assumed was the man's house. It certainly wasn't as grand as the places that the heir to the throne was used to. A woman came running out of the house and was greeted by John, Aragorn was unsure as to who she was but he guessed some kind of relation or perhaps wife or partner. She was wearing good clothes so she obviously wasn't a servant. Aragorn opened the door and got out, he stood tall against the car and even taller against the woman. When she saw him, the woman gasped, she grabbed John in surprise and started asking him a long list of questions and Aragorn knew that they were about him. He didn't have time to wait around so walked past them and in to the open door of the house. The woman looked on surprised by what was happening but followed him in. John followed close behind them amazed that his wife had allowed this stranger to help her in the search for their daughter.  
  
Aragorn stood waiting and noticed the woman was very on edge.  
  
"Don't worry ma'am, I'll help find your daughter. I am a skilled tracker and am also looking for my friends."  
  
"Thank you. Aragorn."  
  
Aragorn looked surprised, he didn't know how this woman knew his name, she seemed to recognise him but he was sure that he had never seen her before. She held up her hand to stop him asking questions and took his sword from him and laid it on the table. She then went to a cupboard and took out something. On the front he saw pictures of his friends and even more surprisingly himself. It was like someone had painted on but in so much detail, it was incredible. He didn't understand and was about to ask what it was but didn't know how to do it, there was nothing he could ask he was just so shocked.  
  
He sat down on one of the seats provided and took off some of his armour, he felt comfortable here but the picture had made him uneasy. There was definitely something strange about this place and he didn't like it at all.  
  
"It will be night soon, we should wait until dawn to start looking again, there is little we can do at night."  
  
He decided to rest there that night but he thought he had best keep his sword close, they didn't seem dangerous but he didn't trust these people. He settled down in his seat and tucked into the food that they had provided, tomorrow he would search for their daughter and hopefully find his companions as well.  
  
**  
  
A guard in a blue uniform held Gimli still even though the dwarf struggled to get free. They were questioning him about what had happened, the thing that seemed to disgust the men most was the fact that he was in the woman's department. Gimli couldn't understand why this was a problem, he didn't even know where he was and he had tried to explain this to them but mostly it just came out in a string of insults from the dwarves mouth.  
  
Gimli had tried his plan to push his way out of the cell but it didn't work well at all, in fact it had made things worse because the men had put handcuffs on him. Now he was stood in a small room being interrogated by some very tall people who were now asking him about his axe and why he was carrying a weapon. Gimli could hardly believe what he was hearing, it was almost unheard of for dwarves to not carry weapons, the man was beginning to get angry that Gimli wasn't answering any of his questions.  
  
Gimli knew that he had to get out of the jail and the only way he was going to get out by telling the man about himself, of course he did leave out the major parts about the Fellowship's mission and the One Ring, he didn't trust these people enough to tell them of these sacred things, he had seen and heard of how the Ring could easily corrupt men. He told the men a few 'white lies' and twisted the truth slightly every now and then. In the end the people actually started to believe that he was a traveller and that the only reason he had an axe was that it was a present from an uncle in the antiques business. He had also told the men that he was looking for a treasure in the area. Surprisingly, the men finally bought it all and agreed that Gimli wasn't dangerous and they would give him twenty eight days to pay for the damage he had caused, and the would have to keep his weapon, but would return it to the collector as soon as they found out who it was. Gimli silently wished him luck and was on his way.  
  
**  
  
Legolas had been wandering around this strange place for almost an hour, trying to find out where he was and where he should be looking for his friends, he had been tempted to ask someone where he was and if they had seen anyone that looked out of place but after his previous experience with people he decided that it wasn't a good idea. He didn't want to get into trouble again, the last person he spoke to hadn't been very helpful and he wondered if they were all like that.  
  
He was now in a quiet place, before the place had been fairly quiet but now it was completely silent. There appeared to be fewer shops in this area and Legolas was glad of that, he decided that he didn't like these shops. The last one he had gone in was a disaster and he hadn't enjoyed the experience and didn't wish to repeat it. Yes, he certainly was glad that the place was quiet but something told him that it was a little too quiet.  
  
**  
  
Merry and Pippin were now wandering leisurely around the town, the woman was still with them and over the time they had been with each other they had grown close. The hobbits still hadn't told her about their quest, Merry kept going on about revealing nothing but Pippin really didn't understand why he was so worried, the young hobbit hardly knew what was going on anyway and couldn't explain to the woman even if he wanted to. This whole thing was a complete mystery to him, he did trust this woman and deep down he didn't want to keep things from her but he thought his cousin was right, it would just cause more trouble.  
  
The three of them had been wandering around Salisbury for a while and it was just beginning to get dark, the woman knew how eager the hobbits were to find their friends so so far she had not told them that they should be getting home soon. There was something about these strange hairy-footed creatures that fascinated the woman, it was very strange that they should just appear in the museum like that. Although she was curious she had never asked them what they were there for.  
  
They had stopped for a while for lunch but apart for that they had not stopped much, apart from Pippin stopping to see the ducks at the small park they had passed. He had always liked looking at the water although hobbits didn't generally like the water, of course, he himself couldn't swim as in the peaceful Hobbiton there was no need to learn how to swim. Merry was a little more wary of the water, he had been aware of what had happened to Frodo's parents, the story was that they had drowned on the river.  
  
The hobbits had always been more curious than most, if they hadn't been they wouldn't have even thought about going on the journey with Frodo and Sam, though they were sort of forced into it. Sometimes they wished that they could be more like Frodo, he had explorer's blood in him, he was destined to follow in the footsteps of his uncle, Bilbo. Surprisingly, the two hobbits were beginning to enjoy their adventure although they wished that their friends were there with them so they too could enjoy it. There appeared to be so many good things to see in this new place, it was extraordinary, like nothing they had ever imagined before. They thought that Rivendell had been spectacular but this place was just pure magic, there was so much to see and do here, plus Pippin had made a very close friend.  
  
After a while longer searching they decided to stop and rest for a while, after all they had been searching all day and it was beginning to get tiring, they weren't used to all this walking and exploring. The woman asked them to sit near the river. It was one of her favourite places and she told them that she wanted them to experience it with her. They agreed, even though Merry was a little cautious.  
  
When they reached the river they agreed that it was amazing and they could hardly take their eyes off it, it was truly captivating. The woman asked Pippin if she could speak to him alone for a minute, they left Merry and walked closer to the river.  
  
"Do what I say and I might not kill you and your friend." The woman whispered to the startled Pippin.  
  
He didn't know what to say, he wasn't expecting that.  
  
"Tell me, where is the Ring bearer? I want him, tell me now, or I kill your friend."  
  
Once again Pippin didn't know what to say. He glanced behind him hoping that Merry was working out what was going on but the hobbit seemed to be in a trance, no doubt initiated by this mysterious woman.  
  
He looked despairing back at her hoping it might just have been a mistake but her eyes told him all he needed to know. This woman was serious.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"I think you do. I know you know the one who bears the Ring of Power and I need it."  
  
"I don't know anything about a Ring, or who carries it."  
  
The woman glared at him once more.  
  
"You're lying, I know you are. How about I kill your friend and then we'll see if you remember who carries it."  
  
Pippin didn't think he had any choice but to tell the truth, he couldn't let her kill Merry. But he couldn't let her know about Frodo either. So he decided that he should tell her everything he knew about where Frodo was.  
  
"I don't know where the Ring bearer is, we were separated, and where he is I don't know. Why would I, I am unimportant after all."  
  
The woman gave him a warning look but her face softened when she was finally convinced that he was telling the truth. She smiled at him and bent down to his level and kissed him gently on the lips. Pippin instinctively responded and kissed her back. When their embrace was broken she smiled once more.  
  
"I'm sorry my friend. Goodbye."  
  
With that she pushed the helpless hobbit into the water and watched as he floundered helplessly. Merry knew exactly what was happening but it was as if something was holding him back, he longed to get up and help his friend but he couldn't. He saw that the woman walked away, annoyed but satisfied that there was nothing else to be gained. Slowly some of the feeling returned to him but he was still unable to move.  
  
Across the road Legolas had been watching what was going on, even with his Elven eyesight he could not clearly see that it was Merry and Pippin that were being held by this woman. He had moved closer and then realised that it was two members of the Fellowship, he ran closer hoping that it wasn't too late to help his friends.  
  
To Legolas it looked as if Merry was watching his cousin die, the elf couldn't understand why Merry wasn't doing anything. As he got closer he saw the woman run past him and was tempted to knock her to the ground but he knew he had to get to Pippin, from what he had heard hobbits weren't overly good swimmers and from what he could tell that river was very deep (at least to a hobbit). Legolas ran past the dazed Merry who was obviously under some kind of a spell and threw his quiver on the floor by the older hobbits' feet. The elf then jumped into the water to save Pippin who was desperately trying to fight the strong current and keep his small head above water. He thrashed out wildly hoping it would keep him afloat but his arms were beginning to feel tired and he felt an uneasy unconsciousness over coming him.  
  
Slowly he began to sink under the water, praying that it would be painless. For a while he felt nothing but the whole experience seemed to slow down and the memories of the past came flooding back to him.  
  
He saw himself when he was young, happily playing in the garden.  
  
He saw himself with his friends and family.  
  
He saw himself sharing many good times with his friend and relative Merry.  
  
The most recent memory was that of the quest to which he had been assigned. It was certainly the most vivid and the most terrifying.  
  
Pippin screamed underwater knowing what was going to happen to him. Instead of making a sound he took in the murky water and he once more felt that coldness sweeping over him. Just as the water went completely black and he thought it was over strong hands pulled at him and he felt himself being dragged from a watery grave.  
  
The voices he heard were distant but some familiar. There were others standing around him but they were blurred and unrecognisable. The one he did recognise was that sweet voice of an elf, Legolas.  
  
**  
  
As the despairing elf dragged Pippin out of the water others jumped in and helped him, even though he had strong muscles the current in the water was so strong that even he felt weak. The strangers helped him pull Pippin to the riverbank where Merry was now shouting at them to help Pippin.  
  
One man came up to Legolas and held him with a strong grip, it was clear to see that the cold water had taken its toll on the fit elf. He was now gasping for breath and shaking with cold but the small helpless hobbit kept him going.  
  
They finally got Pippin to the bank and people gathered around them quickly as if there was something interesting to see. Legolas lay on the floor trying to catch his breath but the thought of Pippin just as helpless made him get to his feet and try to help the hobbit. He carefully placed a blanket one of the others had given him over the soaking figure, Legolas checked his breathing finding that it was non-existent. He called Pippin's name but there was no response. He lifted the hobbit so he was sitting and the strong, but tired elf, hit the small, almost drowned, hobbit on the back.  
  
After repeating this several times a small cough escaped the young halfling. Legolas held Pippin forward as he coughed up more of the water. The small person was lying helpless and coughing wildly, he was still shivering from cold despite the warm blanket that lay over him.  
  
Legolas breathed a sigh of relief and Merry came running over to his cousin fussing over him instantly. In between his sobs he thanked Legolas for saving his cousin. Legolas was being praised by the people around him, they all seemed very pleased that Pippin was alive and this surprised the elf.  
  
Soon the scene was swarming with paramedics who were eager to take Pippin to a hospital, although Legolas didn't know what this was from what he had been told it was like the Houses of Healing. Finally, after much reassurance he agreed that Pippin would be better off there. The paramedics gave him and Pippin a blanket and laid Pippin down on a bed. They were just about to take the three to the hospital when Pippin screamed, Legolas felt it too, evil was near.  
  
He stopped and looked around him with wary eyes. In the distance there was a shape approaching, a black shape, something that was very familiar to him. The shape was that of a Ring Wraith. At first it seemed impossible, there was no way a Wraith could get into this strange land.  
  
Pretty soon the Wraith was right on top of them and Legolas yelled to the curious on-lookers to get out of the way. They did so as the black shape went by and headed straight for Legolas and the two frightened hobbits. Merry and Pippin screamed and ran to one side but Legolas stood his ground and only his quick elvish reflexes saved him from being trampled. The Wraith turned around and went back to Legolas who once again jumped out of its way.  
  
It drew its sword and Legolas searched desperately from his quiver which he had forgotten to pick up after he dragged the hobbit out of the water. People all around him were screaming and running, even the paramedics who had been looking after Pippin weren't there any more. Legolas finally spotted his arrows and bow nearby and wondered if he'd reach them. The Wraith now had its sword drawn and was taking its final charge towards Legolas.  
  
The swift elf leaped towards his bow and arrows, did a quick somersault and grabbed them, he quickly shot off an arrow and the Wraith swerved slightly, just missing Legolas. The elf saw the advantage and shot off more arrows at the Wraith. It dropped its sword and almost went back but sensing that it couldn't win this fight it withdrew. Legolas fired a few more shots at it, each one hitting its target so precisely that the stunned by-standers gasped.  
  
They had never seen anything like it and never seen such an accurate marksman before. Merry and Pippin had seen this done before so were not quite as stunned at Legolas' speed as the on-lookers. They simply looked towards the direction that the Wraith had disappeared to.  
  
Legolas instantly had a mass of people around him, all asking him questions like how his aim was so good, he thought this to be a stupid question and he wondered if these people even knew what elves could do. He grabbed the paramedic out of the crowd and told him that he should take them to this hospital he spoke of. The man didn't know what to say but instantly called for his co-worker and put Pippin into the back of the vehicle.  
  
In the back of the ambulance Pippin still had a look of astonishment on his face.  
  
"Was that a Wraith?" He asked, even though he knew the answer.  
  
"Yes," replied Legolas " how it got here I do not know. This seems impossible, surely the White Wizard hasn't got this much power. Although, the Wraith did seem considerably weaker in this place, did you notice?"  
  
Pippin shook his head. "Sorry, I was too busy being scared to notice it's strength."  
  
Merry listened to the conversation silently, also wondering how a Wraith had got there. He was also thinking about what had happened at the river. He had wanted to help Pippin so much but something was holding him back, like some invisible force. He didn't understand it and thought it best to keep this to himself for now, he couldn't believe what he had let happen to Pippin and the guilt he felt now was over-whelming. 


	12. evil meetings

Ch 12 evil meetings  
  
Fred finally awoke, confused and not knowing where she was. She almost thought that the cold floor was her warm bed but this was most likely caused by the strange food and drink she had consumed. Most of what she saw the night before was blurred and not much of it made sense, the most vivid thing she remembered was that there were bodies, mutilated, wounded. Another thing that was still clear was that someone living was there with her, someone close to her. She had a feeling that it was a friend, someone she was close to, perhaps Bob or Ned. The details were fast fading and they were soon jumbled up with the other things that had once been so clear.  
  
Fred looked around her, still disorientated and confused as to where she was. She wasn't sure how long she had been unconscious but it certainly wasn't a restful sleep, it was dream-filled and frightening. Although she should have felt refreshed and calm she felt that same coldness, and weakness she had sensed before she went into a coma.  
  
The room was the same as she remembered it, dark and dingy and she felt completely alone again despite her earlier feeling that someone was guiding her. She wished Ned were there to help her; she was so knowledgeable in the subject of Lord of the Rings and was always willing to help you. Fred remembered the time when Ned had tried to give up speaking about her favourite subject for a week, she laughed when she remembered that her friend hadn't lasted a day. If only Ned was with her now, she would know what to do. Even Bob would have known more than her for she knew more about it than Fred could even hope. She had been practicing longer though. Fred had convinced herself that that was the reason, Bob had always laughed at her.  
  
The frightened girl quietly recalled all her 'adventures' with her friends. It was true that she had once said that whenever she was around Ned that she felt like she was going to die, this was a quote that had stayed among the group for some time, but Fred didn't think that anymore, she would have felt a lot safer if Ned was there to instruct her.  
  
Fred noticed something during her thoughts, there was no longer any sound coming from outside, she thought this rather curious. Why wouldn't they be guarding her?  
  
She walked over to the door hoping to get some idea of what was going on. She creeped closer hoping she wouldn't be noticed. She didn't want to alert anything that might be out there that she was awake, not after what happened last time. She put her ear to the door listening to see if there was anyone out there, she heard nothing. Fred sighed in relief at least they couldn't give her any more potions. Just as she thought that images flashed through her head, memories of last night, they were awful but this time there was no one to help her, there was no comforting voice helping her.  
  
She put her ear to the door one last time just to check. She still heard nothing, she was just about to back away when a noise came from outside. Before she could pull away the door swung open and nearly knocked her over. An orc came striding in and grabbed her arm roughly, he pulled her out of the cell, she wondered if she could pull away from him and maybe make her escape but the orc had such a strong grip that she stood no chance. A further two orcs joined then just confirmed her thoughts. There was no way she could get past them.  
  
The orcs led her through a maze of tunnels and passages, she could never find her way around this place and she was surprised that the orcs could. Orthanc must have been huge, she could tell this because her feet were starting to ache but that could have been because she had hardly walked at all the past few days.  
  
The orc took her to a huge door and then left her there. All three walked away from her, she didn't know what to do, she couldn't run away she couldn't find her way back through the labyrinth. She didn't know what to do. She was completely lost. Then unexpectedly a thought entered her mind that she should walk into the room, she didn't know where that came from but she did it anyway. Once again she decided that she must be under some kind of spell. But she could not resist the urge to walk into the room, she sensed that there was something inside and she needed to see what it was.  
  
Carefully and slowly Fred opened the door, she was unsure as to what lay on the other side but something compelled her to carry on. When she walked through the door she felt a rush of excitement run through her, this surprised her, as she was completely terrified. Strangely she felt safer walking in to this place than she did when she was locked in her cell.  
  
At first she could see nothing in the room, it looked black as night but at the far end there was a white figure standing and it seemed to be drawing Fred towards it. It was an odd feeling, she wanted to run, just like she felt earlier on when she had met with the man in white outside Orthanc. It suddenly dawned on Fred that this was the same man. It wasn't just the memory that reminded her who this stranger was, it was also that when she entered the room she seemed to exactly what was happening and what was going to happen to her. It was this last bit that frightened her most, she sensed that something bad was going to happen to her and once again she wished that that Ned or Bob were there to help her.  
  
The man turned around and Fred instantly recognised him as Saurman. She couldn't believe it; she was stood just a few metres away from the White Wizard. It all seemed impossible to her even after everything that had happened to her so far. At first he just stared at her and she found herself becoming increasingly self-conscious, she could believe she was feeling like that she could be in terrible danger and she was thinking about how she looked in front of a Wizard. She thought that she was starting to sound like Bob.  
  
The White Wizard walked over to her but didn't bother looking at her the way he did when she first arrived. This time he came right out with his question knowing fully well that Fred was so scared that she would tell him anything.  
  
"Where is the One Ring?" His voice frightened her and she wanted so desperately to run away but she couldn't move, it felt just like when she was kidnapped in the forest.  
  
"I.I." She tried to talk but she couldn't think of what to say.  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"Fine," came that hard voice again "just tell me where the Ring Bearer is, that isn't so hard. Or perhaps I should force it out of you. You see I have ways of making people talk." He smiled and looked towards an ugly-looking orc who was holding a firey poker in his hand.  
  
Fred flinched at the thought of what might happen to her, she had no recollection of people ever getting tortured in Lord of the Rings, except Gollum but even then there were no details, so she had no idea what to expect. From the look on that Orc's face it was going to be something very bad. She dreaded to think what that monster could do to her.  
  
The Wizard was now walking around her as if looking for weaknesses. Fred strangely felt a fascination with this place even though she was dreadfully afraid of what might happen to her there was something that made her want to look in every corner of this place. She could almost imagine the kinds of things Ned would ask. She was a fan of torture techniques and loved hearing of things like that and Fred knew that this would be like heaven for her. When she thought about what she was saying she realised how crazy that was, she was about to get tortured with a hot poker and she was thinking about what her friends would say. She couldn't believe it.  
  
When she was thinking about all this a part of her remembered everything that had happened earlier and what she had seen in her hallucinations. Even now they were with her, the bodies, the loneliness. Suddenly a flood of memories came back to her and she cried out aloud, it was as if there were figures in the room with her. White spectres that were slowly encircling her and trapping her in the dungeon. There were hundreds of them all trying to get closer but it seemed that there was some invisible barrier holding them back. If Fred had been able to think straight then she might have thought that they resembled the scene in The Two Towers with all the ghosts but this was far more frightening than anything that she had ever seen. It was like the hallucinations but these things were actually there.  
  
Saruman looked on with an evil smile on his face, he knew exactly what this weak girl was seeing, he was using his mind tricks to bring out her worst fears and bring them to life. So far it was a very entertaining show.  
  
A few of the other Orcs that had been loitering in the background had now come out and were cheering on the Wizard and revelling in the girl's pain, they loved seeing people getting hurt and seeing these terrible things. They wished they could see what she was seeing, but for now her pained screams were enough to satisfy them as they were sure that they would soon have a chance to submit her to their own private torture.  
  
For a while the Wizard looked on, liking the audience that were cheering for his wizardry and at seeing this thing's pain. He gave a grim smile. This soon faded when the Fred started thrashing out as if trying to get away. In distress she ran towards the great doors that to her were just a blur. One of the braver Orcs grabbed her before she reached it and roughly pushed her towards another one waiting to catch her.  
  
This went on for a while and Saruman seemed to enjoy it for a little while but then his amused smile faded and he grabbed Fred and held her against him.  
  
"How dare you touch my girl." He shouted commandingly.  
  
The Orcs stopped their cheering and looked confused at the White robed leader. He held Fred close to him and looked down at her fear-filled face, she was still breathing heavily but the screaming had now stopped and there was just the occasional whimper from the scared Fred.  
  
Saruman looked down at her and sighed, he loved seeing people like this but enough was enough, he wanted her to suffer and he feared that this would just make her more determined not to talk. He uttered a few words and the spell was lifted. The ghosts slowly walked away just as quickly as they had appeared.  
  
Fred tried to get free from Saruman's grip but he was too strong for her, she had no idea what was going on or where all the Orcs had come from. Despite her current fear she was pleased that the ghosts had gone and that she was back among the living, no matter how evil and dangerous. She tried once again to get away but that strong arm still kept her there. He was so close to her.  
  
"Tell me what I want to know or I will make you regret it. Who bears the Ring?"  
  
Fred closed her eyes in an effort not to tell him anything, she wished she could and that he would let her go.  
  
"I will make this so hard for you. I know a few disgraceful creatures that would love to get their hands on fresh, young meat, so save yourself the trouble and tell me where the Ring Bearer is." His grip was tightening and beginning to hurt Fred's arm.  
  
She shook her head violently.  
  
He nodded in acknowledgement and gave a quick glance at one of the Orcs, it stepped forward and Saruman pushed her towards him, he grabbed her and held the poker to her face. Even from this distance she felt the heat burning her skin. She would have tried to struggle free but she knew it would do no good so she just stood there and cried as the poker came ever closer to her skin.  
  
"Wait..." Came another, unfamiliar voice. "She's just a child, does she look like she knows anything?"  
  
The poker was taken away from her face and the grip on her was released, she collapsed on the floor in terror and exhaustion. She took a few short breaths and then looked around to find the source of the voice, at first she couldn't find it but then she saw him. A man was tied to a pole and was looking wildly around him. Fred looked at him and realised what the approaching Orc was going to do to him.  
  
"Wait. Leave him alone, he's done nothing wrong." She screamed.  
  
Fred had no idea why she did this and soon realised this when the Orc holding the poker came back towards her. She scanned the room to see if there was anywhere to run or at least buy herself some time, there was nothing, the place was sealed up. She tried to stand but found that she had no strength in her legs and could barely move them, she was unsure whether this was a spell or just pure fright.  
  
The Orc grabbed her and once again held the poker up to her face and she felt that same burning sensation. This time the poker came into contact with skin and she felt it brandishing her skin, she screamed, they drowned out the protests of the man that had tried to help her earlier.  
  
The Orc doing this seemed to be enjoying it. Although he only kept it there for a few seconds to Fred it appeared to go on forever and she wished she could stop it. Finally the sneering Orc withdrew the poker and let Fred fall to the floor clutching her burnt face. He then went back over to the man.  
  
"Now it's your turn." He snarled.  
  
The screams of Fred and the stranger mingled together and filled the tower of Orthanc. A sound that made Saruman very happy. He was going to enjoy this new being, he also knew that his Orcs would as well.  
  
He turned to the window and looked out over his newly claimed empire, yes this girl was going to answer all his questions and was going to help him win the war.  
  
**  
  
Ned and Bob approached the hut, not knowing what to expect but knowing that there must be some form of shelter inside there.  
  
"Hang on a minute." Bob said quietly. "I think I see something."  
  
"Stop being so paranoid there could be shelter in there. We might find help, or even better we might find Sam and Frodo. Maybe even Fred. We should take the chance."  
  
"And what if we don't like what we find. It might be a trap."  
  
"I hardly think a Ring Wraith is going to hide out in a small hut with smoke coming out of the chimney." Ned joked.  
  
Bob looked sternly at her and gestured towards the smoke coming from the chimney.  
  
"We don't know what's inside there, it could be something bad." Ned rolled her eyes up, "I'm just saying that we should be careful, that's all."  
  
Ned nodded, no longer really listening to her complaining friend. She could be so stressed sometimes. She always had to worry and sometimes it annoyed Ned. In a way she understood her friend's caution, she had seen something when she was taken over by those visions, Ned knew that something had scared her and that she was just trying to play it safe.  
  
Ned motioned Bob forward; once again trying to adopt that stealthy thing she had done when they first left the school. Bob smiled at her friend and followed her, glad that Ned had reassured her; at least together they were safer.  
  
They were now so close to the hut and it became clearer that there was someone inside although as they approached they couldn't see anyone. The house seemed to have an inviting, warm glow to it, something that the two tired girls craved.  
  
They were so busy looking into the house that neither of them noticed the slope until it was right beneath them. It just so happened that Bob's reflexes were quicker that Ned's and she managed to grab hold of a trunk of a tree to stop herself falling. She grabbed out for Ned's hand to help her but she was too late.  
  
Ned fell down the slope that was a further fall than she had first realised, she tumbled down. She reached out to try and grab something that might halt her fall and prevent her from hitting the ground but she was moving too fast and she couldn't grip anything. The ground loomed below her and she braced herself for the pain that would strike as soon as she hit the ground. Instead of the pain she thought she'd experience she felt nothing; it was actually quite nice, complete blackness.  
  
Unfortunately for Ned she was drawn away from that blackness by the frenzied shouts of Bob from the top of the fall. She was shouting out to Ned who was now sitting up and checking herself for any injuries. She thought she might have a sprained ankle and perhaps a bruised rib but apart from that she had small cuts and bruises and her head was throbbing. She didn't think it was too serious.  
  
Bob sighed in relief when she saw that Ned was sat up, she had to find a way of getting down there. She looked along the ridge that disguised the fall; she searched for a part that wasn't quite as steep as the rest of it.  
  
She found what she was looking for and slowly made her way down. She used the trunks of the trees as support but still found herself slipping every now and then.  
  
"Be careful Bob" Ned shouted out not wanting her friend to get hurt as well.  
  
Eventually Bob reached the bottom and went over to Ned.  
  
"I don't know what you are complaining about, that was easy." She laughed.  
  
"Yeah, well you didn't fall down it!"  
  
Bob grabbed Ned's hand and helped her up, Ned flinched when she tried to move her ankle and she was now certain that it was sprained. They decided that their best bet was to get to the hut, it wasn't far away now and there would be somewhere where they could rest Ned's ankle.  
  
They took the first step forward when Bob felt a forceful pressure on the back of her head. She didn't know how but she instinctively knew that it was a gun. She put her hands up in the air and Ned followed this action, not really understanding what was going on. They stood still for a while and wondered what was happening. This was all they needed, a madman loose in the woods.  
  
"Move!" A gruff voice commanded.  
  
They did as they were told, they had no idea what was happening or what to expect, they hadn't thought this would happen. One thing they were glad about was that it wasn't the Black Rider that had captured them. However, this man did have a gun and that was certainly a bad thing. Only they could stumble upon the house of a mad man with a gun. It was just their luck.  
  
The man led them into the hut and they were almost blinded by the glow that welcomed them. In one corner were two figures tied up with rope and pieces of tape over their mouths. Bob and Ned knew that it was Frodo and Sam even though they couldn't see them clearly.  
  
The man roughly pushed them towards a crackling fire, it would have looked comfortable to them if the man had not been pointing a gun at their heads. How could this happen? What had they done so wrong? They were only trying to help Fred.  
  
The rough looking man tied them to chairs with thick rope, there was no way they could get out of it now. Whoever this man was he came prepared.  
  
He circled the two imprisoned girls and inspected them, he looked at them suspiciously. He seemed fascinated by them, like he hadn't seen anyone for a long time. From what Bob could make of his clothes that was true. He wore scruffy, out-of-date clothes. They were a faded brown colour, on his head he wore a ranger-like hat, this was what scared Bob, she could not see his eyes. If she had known what they were like she would have been grateful.  
  
Bob felt a wave of terror run through her again and she shuddered but it wasn't because of their situation but she felt that familiar presence of Fred. Ned felt the shudder as they were tied together on two chairs - back- to-back.  
  
"You need to help her, she isn't well." Ned said shortly to the man.  
  
He didn't say anything but looked straight at her. She saw the craziness in his eyes and wondered how long this man had been out here on his own, he was obviously insane. He glared at her for a long time and she wished she could break away from him but something held her there.  
  
After a while he moved away, he had only taken a few steps when he grabbed Ned's shoulders and held her close to his face. She could smell his breath, once again she struggled to get away from him but he held her firmly.  
  
"You have no idea what you're getting into little girl." He said in a raspy voice.  
  
The man got a knife out of his pocket and held it up to Ned's cheek, she saw it gleam in the light and felt the coldness of it on her skin. She sat back in the chair and decided that she shouldn't try to challenge him. He looked at her and went to walk away again but this time he came back and slashed Ned across the shoulder. She screamed out in pain and tried to grab her arm.  
  
From the corner of the room Frodo and Sam looked on in horror, they didn't want Ned to get hurt no matter how bossy she was. Frodo set to work trying to untie his thick bonds. The rope was so thick that it was difficult and Sam wasn't being overly helpful, he was sat there trying to attract as little attention as possible.  
  
"Fred. Fred? FRED."  
  
Bob called out, in obvious distress but she didn't feel the weakness she did last time but just the knowledge that something was happening to her friend was enough to upset her and take her mind off her current situation.  
  
**  
  
Outside the hut a Ring Wraith strode into the clearing in the woods. He looked suspiciously at the hut and sniffed the air, searching for the Ring. It felt so close but the shrouded figure knew that it was so far away. It swept past, knowing that there was a lot more ground to cover.  
  
On the floor a tiny red squirrel searched the ground for its nuts, instead it found something quite unexpected. A knife. Ned's penknife. It sniffed at it for a little while and then went back to searching for its winter store. The warmth from the hut was too much for the little creature to resist so it headed for the gap in the wood.  
  
**  
  
Fred screamed out in pain as the Orc tortured her further with the hot poker.  
  
Her screams once again filled Orthanc. 


	13. captured

Disclaimer: I own a few of them but nothing the master created.  
  
A/N: A bit of a clichéd kidnapping here, sorry.  
  
Ch 13 captured  
  
The man slowly admired his work with Ned; he seemed pleased that the mutilation had gone so smoothly. Now it was time to work on Bob, he was going to enjoy cutting her she looked like a screamer. He had been a little confused before when she had said the word Fred. He didn't know who that was and he didn't particularly care. These four were trespassing on his land and they had to be punished.  
  
Bob was desperately working on her bonds, she wanted to help Ned she could feel the warm blood on her back although she didn't know the extent of Ned's injuries. All she knew was that her friend had been screaming when he cut her. Now though everything was silent, she hadn't heard anything from Ned for a while and she was beginning to get worried, she would need her friend if she was going to escape.  
  
The man walked over to her this time and she renewed her attempts at getting free.  
  
"Who are you and what do you want from us?" She shouted trying to stall the man so she could get free.  
  
"My name's Frank and I don't want people like you coming on my land. What would you like to talk about now? The weather?"  
  
He gave a gruff laugh at his own joke but it soon passed and he came towards Bob with the same knife, still covered in Ned's blood. Bob was no where near getting her hands undone and she knew that she couldn't get free soon enough. Suddenly she felt Ned grab her hand from behind and she started working at the ropes. Bob rapidly felt them getting looser; at least she had a chance now.  
  
The knife was right next to her now and she still felt Fred's pain as well, it was almost too much for her. The knife came down on her and cut her arm, she screamed in pain. At this Frank grinned, he was right she was a screamer.  
  
Just as Frank went to stab Bob again a small yell came from the corner where Frodo and Sam had been tied up. Frodo was throwing himself towards Frank, he had somehow gotten free. Bob realised that Ned had stopped helping her and realised that she was probably unconscious or in a lot of pain. Bob started working at the ropes once again and they were so close to coming off, Bob was beginning to get a little frustrated.  
  
Meanwhile, Frodo was almost on top of Frank who was just stood there, too startled to do anything. He couldn't believe that this tiny little person could be so brave. Frodo pounced on him and knocked the knife out of his hand and onto the floor.  
  
Both of them fell to the ground and Frank hit his head so hard that the others heard the crack and a small pool of blood formed on the floor. He was unconscious now but so was Frodo, he too had been knocked to the floor.  
  
Sam was shouting to his master in an attempt to wake him up before Frank awoke. He had been against Frodo's plan from the beginning. Now he really regretted it.  
  
Bob was almost free, she tugged once more at the ropes and felt them give way, she gave a quick sigh of relief and then looked round and saw the blood that covered Ned. This alarmed her, how much had Frank hurt her? She rapidly untied her friend's ropes and checked her over.  
  
Ned had a gash in her shoulder and a few more cuts and bruises, she looked asleep but she soon woke up when Bob called her name loudly.  
  
"Are you okay?" Bob asked.  
  
"What kind of stupid question is that?" Ned nearly laughed.  
  
Bob responded with a short laugh, mostly to humour her friend in her weakened state. Ned suddenly looked up and shouted to Bob something about Frank.  
  
He was now awake and was going for the knife that lay on the floor, Bob looked quickly at it and then dived forwards, determined to get there before Frank did. Both of them were going for the knife. Frank by now had a crazed look on his face, as if he was going to kill all of them and this wasn't far from the truth.  
  
Bob took one last dive forward and reached the knife seconds before Frank crashed to the ground. Bob bent down and instantly slit his throat. At first it didn't look like he was dead but then he fell to the ground and a steady stream of blood flowed from his neck. Bob looked down at the bloodied knife. She couldn't believe what she'd just done, this wasn't like her at all, she'd never done anything like this before.  
  
She let the knife fall to the floor and looked at the blood on her hands. She was surprised at how unsympathetic for Frank she felt. However, he was a cold-blooded murderer.  
  
She looked over at Ned who looked to be in complete shock at what she'd just done, no, it was more amazement. She didn't know that the quiet Bob had it in her to kill someone.  
  
"You did the right thing Bob. He would have killed you. You know that. Bob?"  
  
Ned felt that Bob needed a little reassurance; she had just killed someone, which was more than she could ever do.  
  
Bob nodded and walked over to Frodo who groaned when Bob helped him up, he had a cut on his head where he fell but apart from that he looked fine. They both walked over to Ned once more and asked her repeatedly if she was all right. After a little while a scream came from the corner where Sam was still tied up. Something had scared him and instantly the other three feared the worst.  
  
Bob ran over to him and shouted at him to tell her what he had seen. He nodded over to the corner, Bob walked cautiously but curiously over to the dark place he had pointed to. She saw something move and retreated for a while. She drew up the courage to see what it was.  
  
In the darkness a small snuffling nose appeared, followed by a small head. Bob smiled at the creature. It was a small red squirrel, not very big but looking quite bold for its size. She slowly moved forward and it backed away but soon realised that Bob was a friend. It went over to her and sniffed her feet as if in search of food.  
  
Bob laughed, not just at the boldness of the little squirrel but also at the thought of Sam being scared by something so small.  
  
Frodo had been untying Sam's bonds and now Sam was sat with his arms crossed in annoyance that Bob was making fun of him. It wasn't his fault that he had a fear of small rodents.  
  
The little squirrel climbed swiftly up Bob's leg and went onto her shoulder, despite everything that had just happened most of the group laughed at the animal's actions. All but Sam who was still sulking.  
  
"I think I'll call it . Percy. Percy the squirrel." Bob said proud that she'd found a new friend.  
  
They now looked at the body of Frank that lay lifeless on the floor surrounded in a pool of blood. They had to do something with it, they knew that they couldn't just leave it, someone might find it. Bob didn't want to be jailed for murder.  
  
Ned was still sat on the chair where Frodo was trying to stop the bleeding although he wasn't doing a very good job. Ned insisted in telling him everything that he was doing wrong. Bob had wanted to help her but she had insisted that Bob took care of the body; she had almost demanded that Bob take care of it. Bob really didn't see what the problem was. No one was going to find them out there and even if someone did they wouldn't know that it was them.  
  
Ned's bleeding was almost stopped and Frodo carefully placed a handkerchief that someone had given him. Frodo had tried his best but Ned still looked very pale and Frodo and Bob knew that she had lost a lot of blood from the knife wound. They didn't know how deep the wound was but they knew it was bad and they didn't have to tell Ned that. They didn't know if she would be all right and they knew that she knew how bad it was.  
  
"Where are we going to do with the body?" Asked Bob.  
  
"I don't know. What do you usually do with a dead body?"  
  
"How am I supposed to know? I've never had to deal with a body before." Bob laughed.  
  
"This is no laughing matter Bob. We have to do something with that body."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Maybe we should bury it." Asked Frodo.  
  
The others looked blankly for a moment and then looked back towards the body. It wasn't the ideal solution but it was better than nothing, it would destroy the evidence. They all looked once more at the body and agreed that burying it wasn't the best thing to do. It would take them forever and they could be seen by a Wraith.  
  
"I think we should just hide it and hope that no one finds it." Ned told them.  
  
They finally all agreed to this and they walked over to the body. Ned went to get up but found herself suddenly feeling incredibly light-headed. She sat back down and looked over to the other two. Bob went over to her and held her hand.  
  
"Don't worry, we'll hide the body. You just keep still. It'll be fine, I promise."  
  
Bob tried to sound reassuring but she knew that Ned could see right through he act, she had been reading a lot of philosophy books lately and now nothing could get past her. All the same she nodded at Bob in appreciation of her reassurance.  
  
Ned sat back in the chair and winced as a wave of sharp pain shot through her. She felt so tired. Maybe if she went to sleep just for a minute.  
  
**  
  
The ambulance pulled up to the doors of the hospital with the three members of the Fellowship, Merry, Pippin and Legolas inside. They had finally reached the hospital although the journey seemed to go on forever. The paramedic kept asking questions about what they were doing there and they had no way to answer him.  
  
Pippin was still shivering despite the paramedic's efforts to help him keep warm. Legolas had also tried to help but did little good and only succeeded in getting in the medic's way.  
  
Merry just sat on the other side of the ambulance trying not to attract attention to himself but every now and then casting a worried gaze across to Pippin. He couldn't help but think that all this had been his own fault. If only he'd stopped the woman, he knew she was dangerous but he had never made his suspicions known to Pippin. He couldn't believe that he had been so stupid.  
  
Legolas didn't seem at all concerned about what Merry had (or hadn't) done; all he seemed interested in was Pippin. Merry knew that Elves were renowned for their healing skills. After all Lord Elrond had helped Frodo when they had arrived at Rivendell, Merry was confident that Legolas could do something to help Pippin now. It was hardly a stab wound to the shoulder.  
  
**  
  
Aragorn lay soundly in a bed. He had a fresh glass of water by his bed along with some bread. He had been hungry when he arrived and had asked for food. The kindly people he now stayed with offered him a bed for the night, he thankfully agreed and had fallen asleep as soon as he had laid down. The woman who had brought the bread and water into him hadn't wanted to disturb him so just let him sleep.  
  
He had a dreamless sleep but something troubled him, there was something wrong with this whole thing but he couldn't quite work it out. It all seemed too convenient that the same time that he was transported to this strange place these people's daughter went missing. Aragorn knew there must be a connection somewhere but he couldn't figure out where.  
  
He decided that he should try and find their daughter and she might lead him to his own friends.  
  
For now, though, he slept quietly and undisturbed, he had a feeling that this wouldn't last for long though.  
  
**  
  
Gimli walked out of the station and looked around him. It appeared to be quieter in this place, not as busy as the place he had been arrested in. To him this was good for he had no desire to go back to that cell.  
  
Now he had to find his friends. He wondered if they had been through the same kinds of problems he had. He was certainly looking forward to seeing them, even that annoying Elf Legolas. 


	14. white wizard

Ch 14 questioning  
  
Fred lay semi-conscious on a table of some kind; she was exhausted even though she knew her punishment had only been going on for a few hours. It seemed like an eternity of pain to her. Right now she didn't know if it would ever stop. The Orc torturing her kept asking the same question:  
  
"Where is the Ring of Power?"  
  
This was a question that she just couldn't answer, she didn't know where her friends were or if Frodo was even still with them. She wanted so much to see them all again. When they set off on their adventure it had seemed like a perfect opportunity to get to know Frodo but now it was just the worst thing that could happen.  
  
Fred should have known something bad would happen, all the bad things seemed to happen to her. Sometimes she felt like nothing ever went right and this was just proof of that.  
  
Right now she wasn't feeling very adventurous at all, she felt cold and tired and hungry and there was nothing she could do about it. She didn't know how much longer they were going to keep this up or how much longer she could avoid telling them where she had last seen her friends.  
  
She didn't even know where she was anymore. She didn't think she was in the same room that she had first met that tall dark and handsome stranger in. Her mind began to wander and the fear of sleep crept back into her mind. She struggled to keep it at bay, she knew that they could do terrible things to her if she fell asleep.  
  
She began to wonder who that man in the room was. He wasn't from any of the film, she knew that, after all she knew enough about the movie to know who was in it. She didn't recognize him at all. This was all so frustrating, she needed Bob with her, Bob always knew all the names of the people (although that was mostly about the hobbits rather than the men). She wondered if he was a prisoner as well. She cursed herself at this stupid thought. Of course he was a prisoner, why else would he be tied up? She almost laughed at the thought of what answer Ned would give.  
  
He had tried to save her when that Orc had hurt her with the poker, she flinched when she thought of the pain that it had caused. She took her mind off it by trying to answer the question of who the man was. After a little while longer thinking she decided that she should give up, how was she supposed to know who he was anyway?  
  
Fred had liked the look of him though, just thinking about him made her feel safe, she didn't know why as she'd never met him before and didn't even know whether he was trustworthy or not. She thought back to all those long nights she'd spent with Bob talking about her perfect man, the one with everything a girl could want. How could she be thinking this? She was a prisoner being brutally tortured by an evil Wizard and she was thinking about her ideal man.  
  
When she said that in her head she almost found it funny. She thought about what the newspapers would say when they found out. She could almost picture the headlines.  
  
"YOUNG GIRL GETS CAPTURED BY FLYING HORSE AND TAKEN TO CASTLE BY AN EVIL WIZARD"  
  
No one would ever believe that.  
  
Whilst she was thinking about this she imagined what her parents were doing, they must be so worried about her. She could picture it now, they would have the whole street out looking for her. As she thought about this she felt a sudden wave of homesickness, followed by an even worse wave of pain. She didn't know what that Orc had done to her but she didn't like it at all.  
  
She laid there completely silent in the dark. She couldn't see anything, something that she almost glad for, she didn't want to see what lay around her especially after the incident in the cell. Those images came flooding back to her. This time though the comforting voice that helped her last time appeared to be screaming. It seemed so far away so she couldn't recognise it. She knew it was friendly though, when she tried to concentrate on it she just became more unfocused. She decided to give up thinking about it, this was just one of those things where she would think about it for ages and still never get it.  
  
Fred wondered what waited for her in the dark, she had no idea what was out there and that made her feel very uneasy. She was claustrophobic and this wasn't helping her fear. She once again cursed herself for thinking about such trivial things when she was about to be tortured again. She knew that it wouldn't be long before that Orc came back. She didn't know his name but she remembered that Bob always found it helpful to give unknown things names so she began to think up weird names.  
  
She searched through her dictionary of names (in her head obviously) and for some reason she came up with the name Terry. She hadn't really been able to focus on him when he was hitting her with a hot poker but it sounded good. Maybe she'd tell him, when she thought this through a little more she decided that she didn't want to make the Orc any more angry than it already was.  
  
Fred's mind suddenly cast back to when he had been hitting her. It had started off really bad but then she began to ignore it. She prayed that it would stop, it hurt her so much. When he had first touched her she had screamed so loudly that the whole tower would have heard her and if she was honest she really didn't care a whole lot.  
  
Then there was the mystery of that strange man that had tried to help her, she didn't know why she hadn't accepted his help. She hadn't seen him that well either, she was about to be hit by a poker and that was the last thing she was worried about. He had tried to help her so he must be good. Her mind flashed back to the Orc that had given her the food and drink and she instantly knew that she couldn't trust anyone. He could have been in her imagination. She had already seen what Saruman could do and she knew that he could play with her mind.  
  
She kept thinking about that stranger's voice, so smooth. What was she thinking? This was madness. She shouldn't be thinking about what a guy looks like, she should be thinking of a way to get out of this terrible situation. Somewhere in the dark she heard a quiet bang. She wanted to see what had caused it but there was nothing but blackness and she had no intention of trying to get up and see what it was. She didn't know if she was tied up but even if she wasn't she knew it was something bad out there and she didn't want to have anything to do with it. She tried to ignore the feeling that something was watching her, waiting for her to make a move.  
  
Her thoughts suddenly went back to the torture; it was like the thing out there was forcing her to think of these terrible things. She wished she could push the thought of the red-hot poker striking her out of her head; she wanted to forget the numerous beatings she had received over the past few hours. The things that Orc had told her. She didn't know why they would be true but they seemed to make sense to her. The most disturbing things she was told was about her friends, he had explained what would happen to them if she didn't do as she was told. Fred didn't know how he knew about Ned and Bob but she hadn't told him.  
  
He told her that right now they were probably wondering why she wasn't telling them about Frodo and the Ring. The Orc knew so such, she wondered if they had extracted Frodo's position from her mind, this could all just be a trick and they just liked torturing her. They certainly didn't care whether they hurt her.  
  
Fred wondered if she would ever get out of this place alive. Maybe once she told them they would let her go and not hurt her anymore. On the other hand they could just kill her or keep her alive for their own pleasure.  
  
She was sure it was more likely to be the latter. She couldn't believe she'd only been there for a short time and already she was thinking about telling them. She knew she couldn't betray her friends like that. These evil creatures would only kill her anyway. She wouldn't tell them anything, it would probably mean the end for Frodo and mean that Sauron got the Ring and that could be the end for Middle Earth. On the other hand.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sound from outside the door, she didn't know what was making it but she was sure it was nothing good. She hoped it wasn't that terrible Orc coming back. That would be the worst thing; she had only just recovered from the exhaustion that had followed the rigorous beating.  
  
The small strip of light that emanated from underneath the door became wider and heavy footsteps entered the room. Fred was really worried now, she knew it was the Orc, he'd come back to finish his job. She wondered if Orcs ever slept. It must have been night some time but she didn't know when or whether it was just the same day. Nothing was clear in this place. Everything was strange and she had no sense of time at all.  
  
Fred suddenly remembered that she had her watch on with glow in the dark hands, the thought of knowing what the time was brought some sense of reality back into her situation. Then she wondered whether her watch would still work, after all she had been roughed about a bit over the time she'd been there. It was probably broken by now anyway. Plus the small hitch that she couldn't move her arms.  
  
She couldn't believe what she was thinking, she shouldn't be thinking about her watch now, that was the least of her troubles.  
  
The Orc that she had previously named Harry inspected her with hatred. She didn't know if it was the same one but it was too dark and she didn't really care, it wasn't like she preferred Harry. She would have preferred not to be there are all but that wasn't possible. She almost laughed when she thought that all this was because of a small, white Shetland pony that she thought looked like a Max.  
  
The Orc moved around her as if inspecting his work, she couldn't believe these creatures, they loved to look at the destruction they caused. They certainly enjoyed their job of torturing people. He put his face low down right next to Fred's, she could smell his rotten, warm breath. His eyes were almost hidden because of the dark but she could still see the hatred in that mutilated face. She imagined that he had been a soldier once and now was angry that he was the one that had to torture the little girl for Saruman. He had scars on his face and fairly fresh cuts on his neck. Fred didn't know what this was from and she didn't want to either.  
  
He smiled at her but it wasn't pleasant at all.  
  
"What can we do with you next then? Would you like to choose or shall I pick for you?"  
  
He laughed at his joke and seemed very pleased that he had said it. She didn't find it funny at all and didn't move or say anything. He went over to a candle on the wall and lit a bigger torch with it. The room was now filled with the glow of fire and that seemed to inspire the Orc, he looked around at her and was pleased to see that she had realised what he was going to do. Fred's face was now awash with fear.  
  
He was going to burn her and his spirits seemed to instantly lift.  
  
She wasn't quite as happy about it, the thought of him doing that to her again, when would they leave her alone? She longed for that comforting feeling that she wasn't alone but it wasn't with her anymore. She hoped it wasn't gone for good.  
  
Harry the Orc held the flame of the torch close to her and the heat was so intense that it burned her before it was even touching her. The pain was terrible but she knew it was going to get worse. When the torch came down on her arm she screamed out loud and tried to lash out at Harry who was now laughing loudly at her screaming. She hated him even more for this and hoped that the flame might jump and set him on fire too.  
  
Just as she thought she was going to pass out, that friendly, familiar voice of the man who had helped her in the room before called out. The Orc was distracted and looked around him as if searching for the sound. The man who had helped her again has shouting at Harry to stop hurting "that poor girl". Harry only stopped for an instant but soon realised that it was just meant as a diversion.  
  
Not at all discourages, the Orc went back to Fred this time with an even more angry look on his face. He wanted to finish what he started and there was nothing that Fred or the brave stranger could do about it. She knew that she would have to face up to it eventually, she just wished she had more time to prepare.  
  
Maybe after this he would get bored and leave her alone. Something inside her told her that that would never happen but she couldn't do anything about it. The belt like fastenings that were holding her to the cold stone table was impenetrable. There was no way she could find a way out of those, she certainly wasn't strong enough to break them and she saw no weapons. And once again there was the problem of where she would go if she did get free. This place was undoubtedly surrounded by Orcs and they would never let her past.  
  
The torch came down on her arm and burnt her skin, at first she felt nothing but pure fear but then the searing pain set in and she once again screamed.  
  
Harry enjoyed her screaming and once again let the torch drift down to Fred's skin. This time he aimed for her leg, the pain seemed even worse the second time round and she knew that it would probably soon be even worse than that. The heat was almost overwhelming and she thrashed in her bonds to try and escape it. At that time she wasn't thinking clearly and so almost forgot that she was tied down, however the sharp pain across her chest when she tried to push herself away from the table reminded her of her situation.  
  
The belts, which were made of some kind of thick material resembling leather, dug into her chest and made breathing very hard. Fred didn't care about this though, all she wanted to do was to get away from that terrible burning pain. Unfortunately the more she tried to escape from it the more the Orc did it to her.  
  
After about twenty minutes of this brutal torture Fred's screams could no longer be heard and the room was filled with an uneasy silence. She lay unconscious on the stone table and was pleased that she could no longer feel that immense pain and that she was finally in her own free dreamless land.  
  
Harry smiled at the unconscious Fred; once again he stood back and admired his work. Fred's already damaged body was now covered in small patches of red and in places blisters from the hot flame that had been used in the torture session. Her face was still creased in pain even though she could no longer feel it. In a way she wished that she would never wake up and she would have been absolutely sure of this if she'd known what was going to happen to her over the next few days.  
  
The man who had tried to help Fred was also lying on a stone bed but his was slightly elevated so he could see exactly what was happening to the young girl. He looked angrily at the Orc but said nothing, he knew his turn was coming up next and that he would be the next to experience the pain of torture. He should have been used to it by now, he had been in Orthanc for a long time and had suffered more than many of his kin.  
  
His name was David, he had been part of a very noble family in the race of Men, he, like his father's before him was a great warrior. One day him and many other great men, including two of his elder brothers went to Orthanc to visit the Lord Saruman, instead of getting a reward they got punished and thrown into the dungeons of the great Tower. His brothers died quickly but David was kept on and Saruman often enjoyed coming himself and hurting the warrior.  
  
Now he was reduced to being tortured daily by some Orc that had nothing to do and just wanted something to do. He had hoped that after a while someone would come and rescue him but it never happened. It was as if his own people didn't want to save him, or didn't know he was gone.  
  
David had tried to escape several times but each time he got past the gate he was brought to the ground by some invisible force. He soon realised that neither he nor anyone else that was cursed by Saruman could leave Orthanc. After a few weeks trying he gave up and slowly got used to his daily routine. He had quickly leant to accept nothing from any of the treacherous Orcs and not to start trouble. He was sure that one day his people would come for him and everything would be safe.  
  
He had seen many people of all races come into Orthanc for one reason or the other. He had even tried to help them occasionally but few of them took his advice and not many of them left Orthanc alive. Some never even saw light again. None had he ever felt so sure about than this new arrival. She was shrouded in mystery and seemed different to the others that had been captured. She didn't seem like the type to have done something wrong and she didn't look like a criminal of any kind.  
  
There was something about this girl; she seemed to have wisdom and great knowledge. The thing that encouraged him most though was that when he had tried to help her she had refused and had gone ahead with her torture. David found this very noble. Although he had never seen her, he already felt an attraction to her and he knew that he would do anything for her.  
  
He had wanted to help when she had been screaming in pain as that terrible Orc burnt her with the torch, he would have done anything for her. This surprised David, as he was never usually that trusting, in fact he rarely trusted anyone within Orthanc's walls.  
  
**  
  
Back in the New Forest Bob was pulling at the body of Frank with all her strength and she wasn't getting very far. He weighed too much and she knew this was going to take a long time. They also had to find somewhere to hide him, although that didn't seem too difficult in a place full of trees and ditches they had to think about the time. They knew they couldn't afford to stay in the same place for too long. There could be Wraiths all around them and they didn't want to get caught by them.  
  
It was Sam who was sat on the floor at Ned's feet shouting orders towards Bob who was dragging the body on her own. Sam hadn't been as wonderful as she would have thought and secretly she was contemplating hitting him over the head with something very hard. But that was the last thing they needed. It would certainly attract a lot of unwanted attention.  
  
Bob wondered how a man with only the food he could find in the forest could be so heavy. It seemed crazy to her.  
  
Ned was looking better by the minute, although this seemed a little strange to both Frodo and Bob. She seemed to be recovering remarkably quickly. Frodo wondered if there was something more behind it all but didn't say anything to the struggling Bob. It would probably do very little good and end up making them all more worried than they should be. He decided that they had enough problems already without having to worry about Ned's ill health any more than they had to.  
  
Frodo secretly wanted to help her more. At first he hadn't liked her at all, she was too tall for a start and he found her a little.odd. Now, however, he was beginning to like her. In fact, he hoped that either she would go with them back to Middle Earth or they could stay in this place.  
  
After a few more minutes rest Ned got up from her seat and went over to help Bob. Even though Bob protested a few times Ned seemed all too happy to help and they both knew that they were running out of time. All the while Sam just sat on the seat previously occupied by Ned, he kept muttering to himself that they should just leave and not worry about the body. Everybody just ignored him and carried on.  
  
Percy the squirrel was running around the hut picking up crumbs that Frank had left behind. He seemed to be having a great time and seemed even more pleased to finally have someone to look after him.  
  
They finally managed to drag Frank out of the house and they hit him behind a large clump of trees and bushes. They didn't know how long it would be until someone found him but they were pretty sure it wouldn't be long. When they had finished placing him behind the shrubbery they went back to the hut and 'borrowed' one or two things from Frank. They took only what they needed, including a generous helping of food and a few choice weapons. Including Ned's penknife and the knife that had killed Frank.  
  
They set off out into the forest again, Ned was being helped by a willing Frodo and Percy rode on Bob's shoulder. He seemed pleased to not have to walk any further.  
  
Bob wondered how long it would be before someone found the body, it didn't look like many people came out this way but if they did they would probably find him quite quickly. At least they had left no evidence that it was them that killed him. Bob still couldn't quite believe what she had done, she never thought she would have to kill a human. She was almost vegetarian anyway and didn't even like to see animals killed, once she had a guilty conscience for stepping on a small bug. It was so unlike her to be violent, at least with other people.  
  
She wondered if she would ever get over it. In her head she knew that he would have killed her if she hadn't defended herself but even so the shock was still there. She wondered if Fred was going through something as bad as this. It had been a while since she had heard anything and this worried her even more than the disturbing images she had seen before.  
  
The five of them had almost forgot that their main aim now was to find Fred. Bob wondered if the others still remembered that Fred was missing.  
  
Just when she thought of this that familiar feeling of unease came over her, she felt like she was in great pain but it wasn't actually clear. It was as if she could feel it but it wasn't her pain. She instantly knew that she was communicating with Fred again although this time she didn't feel the mental anguish she had felt last time but the physical pain that her friend was feeling.  
  
Bob stopped and this halted the others who were travelling behind her. They couldn't hope to see or feel what she was feeling but Ned recognised the look she had on her face. This time was different to the last, instead of falling to the ground as she did last time Bob just stood there as if waiting for something to happen.  
  
Ned walked over to her and looked at her, wondering what she was seeing. She was surprised when Bob looked straight at her and said,  
  
"She's alive."  
  
Of course, Ned knew she was talking about Fred and secretly wished that she too could see what was going on with Fred but in a way she was glad that she couldn't feel the pain and fear that Bob was feeling.  
  
After a few minutes of just standing there Bob seemed to come back to her senses. She sat down on the ground and rocked slowly as if trying to dispel bad memories. She was muttering something under her breath but Ned couldn't quite make out what she was saying. She heard the word "hurt" but apart from that there was nothing else she could understand.  
  
Then something caught Ned's attention. Bob said in a louder and clearer voice the name  
  
"ORTHANC"  
  
Ned grabbed Bob by the shoulders and shook her to try and bring some sense to her.  
  
"You said Orthanc, is that where Fred is? Tell me Bob is that where Fred is?"  
  
Bob nodded her head and looked right into Ned's eyes. Both of the girls had a look of fear and dread. They knew that if Fred was in Orthanc then there wasn't much chance of getting her out alive.  
  
They then knew that they would have to find some way of getting into Middle Earth. That wouldn't be easy. 


	15. two are better than one

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the lotr characters. They all belong to the master Tolkien.  
  
Ch 15 two are better than one  
  
David had stood his ground with the Orc, he was determined not to give him the pleasure of screaming even though that was all he felt like doing. He hadn't noticed but during his torture session Fred had been removed and supposedly taken back to her cell. He hoped she was alright he still had that feeling that he wanted to meet her in person, he didn't usually feel this way about the prisoners in Orthanc, although most of them were horrible Dwarves that were just looking for treasure.  
  
David wondered what she had done, it was a question he had been asking himself a lot lately. She didn't seem like a criminal or a rebel, she didn't seem to have any battle skills and didn't pose a threat against Mordor or Isengard.  
  
The Orc ripped the ropes from around David's arms. He was still tried down with chains that were held by another, stronger Orc than the one that had been torturing him. The Orc led him through the corridors, they were more careful than they had been when David first came to the tower. He had tried to escape and had killed three of the Orcs guarding him. They were now always careful when moving him, he was far stronger than most of them and so they had to take extra care.  
  
This time he didn't struggle as much as usual, he was too curious to find out who the girl in the cell was. If he knew the guards they'd put them both in the same cell, they never liked hard work and it was far easier for them to keep an eye on them when they were together.  
  
When they opened the cell door blackness was all he could see. He wondered if she was even in there, maybe they were doing things differently now. He hoped she was, even if he could only find out what her crime was it would be something. He had no idea why he was so attracted to her but he had the greatest urge to find out all about her and meet her. There was something strange about all this and he wanted to know what it was.  
  
The Orcs pushed him roughly into the cell and closed the door quickly behind them. David looked on angrily, he sometimes wished he could just kill them all it would be so easy for him. As he thought of this memories of his past had been brought back. They had hurt him so badly he couldn't walk last time he had tried to escape, he didn't want that again.  
  
As his eyes adjusted to the darkness a figure on the wall, tied up, came into focus. He didn't know what it was at first then he realised that it was the girl they had thrown in here. She didn't look like she was fully conscious but he went over to her in the hope of talking to her.  
  
When he approached her she moved gently back to the wall but the movement only caused her more pain. The cuffs attached to the metal chains that held her to the cold wall were beginning to hurt her wrists. David was almost right in front of her now and she was getting more and more anxious, surprisingly she wasn't frightened. This man didn't seem like he wanted to hurt her and she was glad of that.  
  
David was now right in front of her, she felt herself going into unconsciousness again, she was so tired of all of this, it all seemed strange to her and she didn't like what was happening to her. The man went out of focus for a minute but the image soon reappeared. On first sight he looked like her perfect man, tall, dark and handsome.  
  
David put his hand gently on her face and moved a bit of hair that was hung over her face. He was so kind, she didn't feel frightened at all. He looked right into her eyes and she instantly felt better, she was so pleased that he was there, she no longer felt so alone.  
  
He bent forward towards her and she flinched away from him, he completely understood why she was so scared. He took hold of her wrists and was surprised when he was met with no resistance. He quickly examined her wrists and saw the marks that the cuffs had left behind.  
  
There was no way that he was strong enough to break those. He felt so sorry for this young girl, she was only in her teens from what he could tell and she seemed so innocent and scared. He knew that he had to help her after all she had saved him from getting hit with a red-hot poker.  
  
He looked around him to find something that he could use to help her, there was nothing, of course not, they were in a prison cell.  
  
There was only one thing he could think to do. Fred began mumbling someone's name softly, he didn't recognise it and could barely make it out but he thought it sounded like  
  
"Bob"  
  
He had no idea what that meant and he didn't have time to find out.  
  
He had an idea that maybe he could break the chains that were holding Fred at their base rather than the cuffs. He bent down and examined the chains. He took hold of the chain and pulled hard, the chain didn't break at first but it soon cracked.  
  
Fred fell forwards towards David; he quickly moved forwards and caught her. She fell limply into his arms he held her tightly for a few minutes until she stopped shaking with fear. He laid her gently down on the floor and looked at her. She certainly wasn't what he expected, she was so young and, to him, very beautiful.  
  
Fred turned to him and looked up at him, she wasn't sure whether she was dreaming or this was really happening. She recognised him but couldn't quite remember where she had seen him before. One thing she knew was that she felt very comfortable with him and was pleased that he wasn't there to hurt her.  
  
She lay there in his arms for some time and he didn't seem in any rush to push her away, in fact he welcomed her.  
  
After a while she finally felt that she could try and sit up, she moved slightly and tried to push herself up, David helped her as best he could but also recognised that she was capable of doing things herself. She was certainly determined and kept going until she was full sat up. She still leaned against him and was pleased for his support.  
  
Fred looked around her, a little confused, she remembered vague things that went on and she certainly remembered the pain and torture that she had experienced the past few days. She also knew who this man was. Then it came back to her, he was the one in the room where the Wizard had ordered the Orc to torture her, he had shouted at him to stop. She tried to stop him, now this seemed stupid he was only trying to help and maybe she should have accepted it.  
  
He looked down at her with an equally confused look, she wasn't what he expected he thought she would be up and trying to kill him by now but she was just laid there doing nothing. Certainly not a criminal or a warrior.  
  
"Who are you?" He asked in a soft voice.  
  
At first she didn't answer him because she was so surprised that he would want to know anything about her.  
  
"My.my name's Fred."  
  
She suddenly felt very self-conscious and didn't know what to say next.  
  
"Fred, that is a very unusual name. I don't think I've ever met anyone called Fred before and I have travelled many miles in my time. Where do you come from? Are you a warrior or royalty?"  
  
Fred didn't know how much she should be telling him after all he could be an allie of Saurman. She decided to do the only sensible thing and ask him about himself. If he was so curious about her then it was only natural that she should be wary of him.  
  
"Who are you? And what are you doing here?"  
  
He smiled at this question.  
  
"My friends call me David although I'm not sure why. I am from a royal family and I came in hope to destroy evil, unfortunately I was captured and brought here. My brother was noble and the Orcs killed him and I was brought here. I think he was the lucky one." At this he saw Fred's face and quickly added, "Of course it's never that bad. They never hurt you that much, after all they usually want you to talk about something."  
  
Fred's face was suddenly filled with fear. If this was his attempt at reassurance it wasn't working very well, in fact he was making things worse.  
  
"I am sorry . Fred. I did not mean to frighten you."  
  
She nodded and felt like shouting him but she remembered that he was a prisoner here too and he was incredibly good looking.  
  
"Are you a man?" She asked rather abruptly.  
  
He looked very confused and didn't know what to say. She picked up on this and explained.  
  
"I mean are you from the race of Men? I mean you're not an Elf or anything are you?"  
  
He smiled at her question.  
  
"Do I look like an Elf then?" He laughed. Fred however, did not appreciate this. She was asking a serious question.  
  
"I apologise. You were just rather abrupt. Yes, I am from the race of Men. My father was of great importance in my land. I was considered a great warrior," he had said this many times and Fred got the impression that he was just bragging about it now, "you see Fred that's why I'm here. He thinks I have information that he wants."  
  
Fred nodded thoughtfully and tried to take in everything he was saying. She was distracted though, by his smooth voice, he sounded good-looking.  
  
She could hardly believe what she was saying, she was in a cell after being tortured and she was thinking about how good her hero looked. It seemed crazy.  
  
Although no one could blame her, he was very attractive and that was something that she hadn't expected. Usually warriors were a little too over the top for her but this one seemed to be completely different, he seemed to really care about her life.  
  
Fred wondered why he was being so nice to her after all they didn't know each other and had no previous connection, in fact so far they hadn't had a lot to talk about anyway.  
  
Fred sat up further and then stood, he helped her and supported her by holding her arm, she couldn't believe it, no one at home would ever be that polite. This place was beginning to be quite good. Apart from the fact that she was being tortured. She knew that she didn't want to stay there but maybe now there was someone else there they could try and escape.  
  
"If you're a warrior, why haven't you tried to escape yet? I mean if you are as noble as you say you are why don't you just break out of here?"  
  
He sighed as if that question had been asked many times before.  
  
"I may be a warrior but that doesn't mean that I am completely perfect. I am not strong enough to fight all the Orcs and other things in this castle. I have tried before with little success, I got as far as the gate and was caught. Trust me you don't want to be caught trying to escape."  
  
"Why did you get caught?"  
  
He smiled once more at her direct attitude.  
  
"Perhaps I didn't have the right motivation." He said mysteriously.  
  
She smiled at him and diverted her gaze there was something about him that made her think that he was looking straight at her, analysing her. She felt it even though it was too dark to see.  
  
"Do you think you could try and get out again? I mean you must have learned something while you've been here."  
  
He looked quizzing at her.  
  
"I mean that you must have learned something from last time. There must be a weakness in this tower."  
  
He looked about him as if he was sad that he had disappointed her. She sighed and tried to think back to everything she knew about Orthanc, it wasn't much. She knew that it was in Isengard. Some time in the future Merry and Pippin would join with the Ents and attack the tower. Unfortunately that wasn't going to happen any time soon seeing as they were on Earth.  
  
She remembered that the River Isen flowed through Isengard. That didn't help her come up with a way of getting free. There had to be a way, some kind of weakness. This was so frustrating. If only Ned were with them they might have more information.  
  
Fred noticed that David had given up and had gone and sat down on one of the benches at the side of the cell. She moved towards the bench glad that she didn't have to stand up any more. Her head was still swimming. She sat down and looked at David while he was thinking about her previous questions.  
  
"Where are you from?" He asked suddenly.  
  
She cocked her head to one side and looked questioningly for a second.  
  
"It's kind of a long story. You probably wouldn't believe it."  
  
"Try me." He replied simply.  
  
"Okay, are you sure you want to hear this?" He nodded. "All right. If you insist. Well, you see, I'm not from here."  
  
"You mean from Isengard? I guessed that."  
  
"No, I mean I'm not from HERE."  
  
He still looked confused and Fred knew she'd have to spell it out for him.  
  
"I'm not from Middle Earth." She said and waited for his reply. It was a long time coming and was somewhat unexpected. "So where are you from? No, don't tell me, some other world that no one here knows about and that's why Saruman wants you."  
  
She was surprised that he wasn't far off the truth. He looked at her with an amused smile on his face but it soon disappeared when he saw how serious she looked.  
  
" You really mean it don't you?" He said in disbelief.  
  
She nodded and laughed when she saw his face. "You can't tell him about this okay."  
  
"Why does he want you just because you're from somewhere else?"  
  
"It's slightly more complicated than that. Trust me, that part you really don't want to know."  
  
He nodded, he understood that there were things that she couldn't tell him and he respected that and decided not to push the issue any further. He couldn't quite believe that she wasn't from Middle Earth, the thought that there was another world out there was almost overwhelming.  
  
She gently touched his arm, which brought him out of his thoughts. He smiled gently at her. He lifted his hand to her face and then stroked her hair. She moved into his touch pleased that she was no longer alone.  
  
"I can't imagine anyone hurting anything so beautiful." He whispered softly.  
  
At first she was surprised at this comment and then she smiled sweetly at him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she leaned against him and fell into a peaceful doze for the first time in a long time.  
  
David sat there for a long time stroking her hair and holding her. It amazed him that anyone would want to hurt her, there was something intriguing but he still couldn't quite place it. After a while longer he leaned back, careful not to disturb Fred and fell asleep. His last thought was "what kind of a name is Fred?"  
  
**  
  
Saruman had hold of one of his Orcs around the neck. The creature was slowly running out of air.  
  
"I want to know everything about her. Everything. She's hiding something, I know she is. I want to know what it is, is that clear?"  
  
The Orc nodded through his grip.  
  
"Good because she knows where the Ring-bearer is and I want her to tell me. If she thinks she can hide it I think you should make her tell you. Now go."  
  
He roughly pushed the almost strangled Orc away from him. It then ran through the door to try and escape the White Wizard.  
  
Saruman turned away from his Orc army and glared at the Palantir that was on a small platform. He was so close to being invincible and all that was standing in his way was a insignificant little girl. He knew that it was only a matter of time before his Orcs break him, she couldn't last long under the conditions he was keeping her under.  
  
She was foolish if she thought she could defeat him, she would eventually give up the whereabouts of the Ring-bearer.  
  
"Not much longer." She said pleased that so far his plan was working so well.  
  
His malicious laugh echoed through the room that he was in. 


	16. Operations

Disclaimer: I own nothing that Tokien created. Unfortunately.  
  
Ch 16 operations  
  
Boromir walked around the room and looked at the small pile of clutter that was lying in the corner. There were many things that he had never seen before, mainly things that looked similar to things that he himself owned but not exactly the same. This place was getting more and more confusing. This woman wasn't what he would have expected a poor woman to be like. In Gondor this was hardly the kind of thing that happened often.  
  
In a way Boromir was enjoying his time here but then the thought of never seeing his home again, never walking through those great gates and being greeted with many horns was a little scary to him. He knew that he should be out trying to find the rest of the Fellowship and Frodo that was his duty after all.  
  
Something kept him there and he wasn't sure whether it was the woman or the friendly atmosphere he was experiencing. It was so peaceful there and he wished he could just stay there forever but he knew he would have to leave sometime. He had just been putting the thought off.  
  
The woman was what he would miss most, there was something about her that he found so attractive and it wasn't just her unmistakeable beauty but her personality. He wished he could be that carefree but he knew that it would never happen.  
  
The time would soon come when he would have to leave her and go into the strange world and find his friends. He wondered if any of them were looking for him. They probably hadn't even thought about him and weren't missing him at all. What possible good could he do in the Fellowship anyway? He didn't deny that the Ring tempted him. If only he could get his hands on it he could change everything.  
  
He suddenly had a great desire to go and find the Ring. He would never have to leave this place if he had it. No one could command him, he would be all- powerful.  
  
Boromir pushed these thoughts out of his mind but the craving for the Ring was still there. He felt so close to it but at the same time so far away. A dark cloud seemed to pass overhead and he felt that need to take it again.  
  
The cloud was dispersed when Marie, the woman walked into the room. Boromir no longer felt the need for the Ring and just wanted to hold her. He walked over to her and picked her up and swung her around affectionately. He no longer cared about the Ring; all he wanted to do was to stay with her. He was so happy here.  
  
Unfortunately he knew that he couldn't stay there much longer, eventually he would have to leave and find his company. It was only a matter of time.  
  
**  
  
Bob and Ned were camped in a small clearing. The two exhausted Hobbits lay under a tree pleased that they had found some shade even though the day was not at all hot.  
  
Bob was helping Ned check her wound, it was deeper than they first thought but at least there was no infection that they could see. If there were Ned surely wouldn't last long out in the wild. Bob was getting slightly concerned as Ned had earlier been complaining of feeling feint and feeling very hot. Bob was a keen biology student and she knew the signs of infection.  
  
This wound was a complete mystery to her as there appeared to be no dirt or anything of that nature in the wound.  
  
"Do you think I should stitch it up?" Ned asked.  
  
Bob laughed lightly not really appreciating her humour. When Ned gave her a confused look she knew that she wasn't joking.  
  
"No way! Are you out of your mind? Do know how dangerous that is?"  
  
Ned didn't answer, she just looked straight ahead with a look of denial on her face.  
  
"Maybe it'll help. I mean it's got to be better than an open wound hasn't it?"  
  
"No." Was the simple reply from Bob.  
  
Ned shrugged her shoulder and turned away knowing this technique would work on Bob. It always did.  
  
"What would you use? We don't have a needle or any thread. Or any antiseptic or anaesthetic.  
  
Ned rummaged around in her bag for a second and pulled out some thin thread and a small sewing needle. She looked over at Bob and smiled.  
  
"I always come prepared." She almost laughed.  
  
Bob couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could Ned even think about sewing herself up? When Ned gestured towards her she knew that she would have to do it. This was so like Ned.  
  
"No way." Bob shook her head. "No." She insisted.  
  
Finally she gave in and took the needle and thread angrily from Ned, this frightened Ned for a second, the last thing she wanted was a wrathful Bob practically operating on her. It could be very painful.  
  
Ned thought back to the last time she had sewn a wound up. It had hurt an awful lot and that was nowhere near as bad as this was. She hoped Bob would be gentle. She didn't want to be in too much pain, they did still have a long way to go. She wanted to be able to say that she could be stitched up without really feeling any pain. Her mates would be so impressed although Fred would probably think she was just stupid.  
  
Bob wasn't quite as happy about this, she knew that she had never done anything like this before and so was a little nervous about it. As much as Ned annoyed her sometimes Bob didn't want to hurt her. That would be unfair. Bob thought back to all the times she had been bullied by Ned, the list was endless. She wondered if she could even stitch someone up, she certainly had no experience at doing stupid things like that.  
  
She didn't really have a whole lot of choice; she knew that if the wound was left open it might get even more infected than it all ready was. Bob knew that if Ned couldn't walk anymore they would be stuck, there was no way they could carry her. It was just her and the two Hobbits and she had no idea when she might get a vision of Fred again. There was no way the Hobbits could carry both of them and look after themselves.  
  
They had meant to be hiding from harm but they ended up just getting into even more trouble. None of this made sense, a few days ago they were happily in school learning about chemistry and now they were running from demons on horses and taking care of two fictional Hobbits. It would have been laughable if it weren't so serious.  
  
Ned tapped Bob on the arm and passed her the needle and thread.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Bob asked secretly hoping to change Ned's mind although she was pretty sure that she wouldn't.  
  
Ned shook her head. She didn't want to get hurt but at the same time didn't want to look weak in front of Bob. She would never live it down.  
  
Bob took the thread and placed it just above the cut in Ned's are, she couldn't believe she was doing it, it was insane. The needle punctured Ned's skin and she almost screamed but bit her lip. Bob had no idea what to do next and looked at Ned for guidance.  
  
"Just do what you want. I don't think it matters too much out here. What's the worst that could happen?"  
  
Bob didn't even answer although she knew that this wouldn't directly solve anything. She wished Fred was with them, she was good at first aid and was training to be a nurse, she would have been much better at this kind of thing than Bob was.  
  
**  
  
Ned lay on the ground with a blanket around her. She was beginning to feel extremely cold, she didn't know why because it wasn't really that cold in the forest. It must be something to do with the infection. She just didn't know because she had never really experienced anything like that before.  
  
Bob was sat underneath a tree, she was wiping the spots of blood off her hands, there had been more than she expected. It had been quite hard, piercing the skin was the worst part. She tried to push that thought out of her mind. It was imprinted into her memory though.  
  
Bob wondered if it had done any good or whether it was just making things worse. Ned hadn't seemed to be any more comfortable now than before although that was hardly surprising as being stitched with no anaesthetic must be quite painful. Ned had retreated under a tree and wrapped herself in a blanket. Bob wondered if she was okay but didn't want to disturb her.  
  
Ned's shoulder was getting worse and she could feel that something else was happening to her, she didn't feel right. She couldn't quite place it but she felt that there was something seriously wrong, apart from the wound to her shoulder.  
  
For now she ignored it knowing that there were more important things to worry about.  
  
The Hobbits were still sat under the tree but they seemed to be discussing something, Frodo was the one disagreeing with Sam and the conversation soon turned into an argument. Frodo finally left the argument and walked off to the fireside. He seemed fed up of the conversation. Sam had obviously said something that he didn't agree with.  
  
Bob went over to Frodo hoping to help him.  
  
"What's wrong? Why were you and Sam arguing? Is it something we're doing wrong?"  
  
"No, of course not. You have been a great help." Frodo said quietly.  
  
"Then what? Frodo, we can't afford to keep secrets, you know how serous this is."  
  
Frodo nodded and Bob suddenly felt very self-conscious. She couldn't believe she was talking to Frodo Baggins. It was crazy.  
  
"Sam thinks him and me should go off without you and find a way back to Middle Earth on our own. He thinks you're slowing us down. I think he's homesick."  
  
Bob was silent for a moment and then said quietly,  
  
"Do you think the same?"  
  
"No." Frodo said quickly. "We would probably dead or Wraiths if it wasn't for you. You have been a great help. I can't even being to thank you. Its just we've caused you so much trouble and we don't know how to keep you safe."  
  
Again there was a long silence.  
  
"Well, we can't stop you leaving but we are happy to keep going and keep you safe. And as for the whole guilt thing this was our decision and we don't regret it. Besides we couldn't leave you in that school, you would soon have died of boredom."  
  
What about your friend, Fred? Look how much she's been through. Who knows what is happening to her in Middle Earth."  
  
"If Fred was here she would say the same thing as me. It was her dream to come on an adventure like this with you. She can take care of herself, I'm sure. In fact, she's probably giving the guards at Orthanc a hard time right now."  
  
Bob wished she could believe what she was saying but she didn't. Fred hated adventure even if it was with Frodo and she certainly wouldn't know what to do in Middle Earth.  
  
"Really?" Frodo asked.  
  
Bob nodded and knew she was lying.  
  
"One more thing." Frodo said, "How do you know so much about us and Middle Earth. I mean you have never been there but you seem to know so much. Why?"  
  
Bob wasn't prepared for a question like that. She had been avoiding the issue for a while and now she was being asked she didn't know what to say.  
  
"I know because.I can't tell you why but we have ways of knowing about Middle Earth. It's kind of hard to explain. We know more than you know." This last bit she added quietly and was surprised when Frodo didn't say anything.  
  
Frodo knew that there were some things that Bob wasn't telling him and he understood why; everybody had secrets, even him. He walked off to see how Ned was feeling, she had been unusually quiet today and this was beginning to worry him. Ned didn't seem like the quiet person and it was almost the first time he'd heard her quiet.  
  
When he walked over to her, she was fast asleep under the blanket. He thought it best not to disturb her, he thought she had already been through enough and she should sleep while she could. He looked down at her and marvelled at her strength, she had supported her friends all the time and still wasn't giving up.  
  
Frodo bent down and touched her cheek; he withdrew his hand when he felt the head. He felt so sorry for her yet at the same time felt a strange affection for her. There was something about her that he found so attractive.  
  
**  
  
Bob strolled along thinking about everything that had happened. She pretended that she was just wandering but in actual fact she was looking for Sam who had stormed off during the argument between himself and Frodo. Sam was fed up of being out here and Bob couldn't blame him really. It was easy to forget what they had all ready been through, the danger wasn't just to Frodo but Sam had suffered also.  
  
She spotted Sam staring at a bird in the tree; he seemed fascinated by the small creature. Bob wondered if they had that type of bird in Middle Earth. Although she knew a fair bit she didn't know every detail. She remembered that Sam was a great lover of nature and all things that grow, as were all Hobbits. All these new experiences must have been exciting for him.  
  
Bob wandered over to him, apparently innocently. She smiled at him but he made no attempt to acknowledge her so she just stared at the tree for a while trying to figure out what interested Sam so much about this place.  
  
"So, what happened between you and Frodo?" She asked trying to make it sound like she was just making casual conversation.  
  
Sam said nothing. She tried again.  
  
"I know there was something going on. If there's some problem maybe I can help and we can sort it out."  
  
"There's no problem." Sam said shortly and walked away.  
  
Bob wasn't going to give up so easily and continued to follow him.  
  
"Well, there must be something wrong. I thought you and Frodo were good friends, something must have happened to make you rethink that."  
  
"What would you know about best friends? You don't know anything about us."  
  
"Maybe not," She said lying. "But I have friends you know. My best friend is being tortured in Isengard so don't say that I don't understand." She starting to lose her temper and these last words were shouted rather than said.  
  
Sam was surprised at the speech and he stood and looked at her for a while she took some deep breathes to try and calm herself down.  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout. I'm just worried about Fred."  
  
"You miss her don't you?" Sam said sympathetically.  
  
Bob nodded and put her hand on her forehead when the thought of Fred's suffering came back to her.  
  
"If I've done something wrong I just want you to tell me."  
  
"What?" Sam asked a little confused.  
  
"You've been kind of cold lately I just wondered if it was something I'd done if it is maybe I can change it."  
  
"It's nothing you've done. I just feel.lost. This is a completely new place for me and I'm worried about Frodo. All the Wraiths worry me."  
  
Bob nodded understandingly.  
  
"Well in case you haven't noticed this isn't exactly normal for me either. As for the Wraiths there's not a whole lot I can do. I've never met them before but I can guarantee that we will do everything we can to keep both you and Frodo safe. I know that's not much but it's the best I can do for now."  
  
Sam appeared impressed by this speech and was quiet for a moment. He certainly seemed convinced.  
  
"I'm sorry if I was 'cold' but you have to understand that my only concern is getting Frodo to safety."  
  
"And you must understand that my only concern is keeping both of you safe and looking after my friends. Now you may think that it's a waste of time trying to rescue Fred but you don't know her like I do. I just know she's not dead."  
  
"How, how do you know that?"  
  
"Because Fred never gives up, especially if she knows Frodo and you are here."  
  
Bob smiled at Sam and was pleased when the gesture was returned.  
  
They turned and walked off together discussing the past and the future. 


	17. friendships

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Lord Tolkien created. *sigh*  
  
Ch 17 Friendships  
  
Merry sat on a chair in the reception of the hospital. He was still in shock over what had happened, he thought that maybe he could have done something that could have helped Pippin but he had just sat there and watched him drown. On the way to the hospital Legolas had tried to convince him that there was nothing he could have done but he knew there must have been something.  
  
A man in a white coat came up to him.  
  
"Your friend's going to be fine. He is still a little cold but he'll be okay in a few hours. We want to keep him here just for the night, just to be safe."  
  
Merry nodded.  
  
"Are you alright? I hear you were at the scene." The Doctor asked concerned.  
  
"I'm fine, just look after my friend. Please. What about Legolas the man that was with him? Is he alright?"  
  
"Your other friend is fine although he wants to stay with Pippin. I see no problem with it. He was a very brave man, he could have been seriously hurt."  
  
Merry smiled, he knew exactly how brave Legolas was, if it hadn't have been for him Pippin would have been dead and he would have still been in a trance. He owed Legolas so much, the thought of what he could have lost was almost too much. He wished he could go and tell Pippin just how sorry he was. All his life he had tried to look out for his cousin and this is what he had done.  
  
**  
  
Gimli was making his way through the town as quickly as he could. He wanted to be well out of the way of the Police station. Another night in there would be too much for him. That place was like his worst nightmare.  
  
His only thought now was to get back to his friends if he could find them they might have some chance of escaping. He wished he knew where Legolas or Aragorn were, they were two of the best trackers he knew and could surely find a way home. He had never like the Elf very much but he wished he was with him now, at least he wouldn't be so alone that way.  
  
Gimli made his way through the town trying not to get noticed too much, he wondered where his friends would go, there must be someone he knew in the town. There were hundreds of people around but sooner or later he'd have to find someone from the Fellowship even if it was just one of the Hobbits. The loneliness was starting to make him a little uneasy, he was used to travelling with the Company or with his fellow Dwarves but never alone, especially in a place he didn't know.  
  
Everything here was so new and he was only just beginning to realise how strange it all was. From inside his cell he didn't see a whole lot. To him this whole thing was a little too much and he wasn't enjoying it at all. He wondered if there was anything good in this world at all. So far it wasn't very nice and he was unsure as to whether he wanted to see any more of it. Gimli wondered if any of the Fellowship were thinking the same thing.  
  
A huge crowd of people pushed past him in a rush to get across a road, everyone here seemed to be going so fast and none of them were at all polite.  
  
Gimli wondered if any of the people that walked past him knew where his friends were, someone must have seen them after all he was certain that they would look odd in a place like this.  
  
"Excuse me madam." He approached a woman who was trying to get a taxi. "Excuse me."  
  
"What." She replied sharply.  
  
"I was wondering if you had seen anybody looking a little out of place around in the past few days. You see, I'm lost and I need to find my friends."  
  
"Huh? No I haven't seen anyone odd. that's not true actually, this whole place is odd to me."  
  
"Well, these people."  
  
He could have finished the sentence but the woman hadn't been listening and was now getting into the black taxi. Gimli was getting irritated that he couldn't find his friends. He wandered through the town for a while hoping to find something that might help him. There was nothing. There were plenty of signs around but he didn't understand what they meant. Besides he didn't know where he wanted to go.  
  
Something on one of the signs caught his attention. It was just one letter and that letter was "H". Gimli knew he had seen something like that before but he didn't know where. Even though he had no idea what it meant he decided that it was his best shot and he decided to follow the sign and go to this place called "H".  
  
The letter "H" was actually pointing to the local Hospital. The same Hospital where Legolas, Merry and Pippin were.  
  
**  
  
Gandalf was still walking through the streets but he had just discovered something that he thought would be very useful in his time in this new land. It was something that he was very familiar with. A magic shop.  
  
As a Wizard Gandalf was very good at working spells and knew a lot about the art of magic. Although he was sure that the spells performed in this place were very different to those in Middle Earth he might be able to make some sense of their magic. After all he was a very skilled Wizard and could conjure up pretty much anything given the chance.  
  
He might be able to find something that would later prove useful.  
  
Gandalf entered the magic shop and was confronted with a shopkeeper wearing a very fake looking magician's hat. If the situation hadn't been so serious Gandalf would have laughed, the man looked so ridiculous.  
  
"How can I help you Sir?" The man asked politely.  
  
"I am not yet sure. May I look around and see if you have what I need?"  
  
"Of course Sir. May I help you find something? Perhaps you have something that you wish to make or do. I am very knowledgeable in the art of magic."  
  
"I'm sure you do but I just don't know what I'm looking for. You see I need something to send me and my friends home and I'm not sure you will have what I need."  
  
"Well Sir if you tell me what you think you need perhaps I can help. What about some chicken feet, or perhaps a crystal ball?"  
  
"No. I don't think that's what I want. Although I don't suppose you have a Palantier?"  
  
"As a matter of fact we do. We got a stock in just the other day."  
  
The man disappeared into a back room and Gandalf heard him searching around. The fact that the man had even heard of a Palantier had surprised Gandalf and as far as he was aware there were only a few in existence and this man said he had a stock. Gandalf was just beginning to get suspicious of the man. He was wondering whether this place was genuine. In Middle Earth all the supplies he needed were always there and he never needed to fetch them himself but these were desperate times and he needed something to help him find the rest of the Fellowship.  
  
The man came back and was carrying a small box. Gandalf presumed that there was something inside because the man treated it very carefully, he hoped it wasn't the Palantier.  
  
"They even come gift wrapped." The man smiled.  
  
"Can I see it?" Gandalf asked knowing that the whole thing was a scam. It was way too small to be real.  
  
Them man nodded and opened the box. Gandalf had been right it was a fake that was easy to see.  
  
"This isn't real." He said impatiently, he didn't like being tricked especially at a time like this.  
  
"Of course not, it's a toy. You do know that there is no such thing as a real Palantier right? It's just a film."  
  
Gandalf didn't know what to say.  
  
"What do you mean it's not real? And what's a film?"  
  
"You know. The Lord of the Rings. You know it's not real?"  
  
"What did you say? How do you know about Sauron? Are you a spy for him?"  
  
Gandalf suddenly seemed to grow in size and the shopkeeper sank down to the floor and pressed up against the sales desk. He had never seen anything like it. The whole shop went dark and there was a sound of thunder in the background. The shopkeeper felt so small and although he wanted to run something glued him to the spot.  
  
At the shopkeeper's fear Gandalf stopped the noise and the terrifying sight and came back to normal size. He didn't think a spy of Sauron would be so scared of him, after all he wasn't that powerful, especially in this place.  
  
"Get up." He demanded the man.  
  
The shopkeeper did as he was told and stood to face the Wizard. There was still fear in his eyes but more respect than anything else.  
  
"What did you mean "it's just a film"?" Gandalf asked him.  
  
"I mean that it's not real, it's make-believe. Are you part of one of those cults that think it's all real? I've heard of your kind."  
  
"What? There's no cult. I'm part of the sacred Fellowship, chosen by Lord Elrond of Rivendell. Everything about it is perfectly real I can assure you. Now, I am searching for my companions, they are alone here and Frodo has the Ring. I need to know that it's safe. If I can get the right things perhaps I can find them through magic."  
  
The shopkeeper looked disbelievingly at the Wizard and didn't know what to say.  
  
"Did you hear me? I need some ingredients." Gandalf said again in hope of getting the shopkeeper to come out of his daze.  
  
The man nodded his head not really understanding what was going on. None of this made any sense to him but he thought it best to go along with this stranger. He looked pretty strong and could probably hurt him if he wanted to.  
  
"What type of things do you want? We have a wide range of products that might be useful. Do you have a price range?"  
  
At this last question Gandalf looked threateningly at the shopkeeper.  
  
"Of course, everything in the shop is free to you." He smiled, hoping not to upset the Wizard again.  
  
Gandalf searched around the shop hoping that he could find something that would help him find the rest of the Fellowship. He knew how dangerous it was to wait any longer. From what he had seen this place was not designed for warriors and he couldn't begin to imagine the damage his friends could cause in this place.  
  
**  
  
Boromir was sat at the table eating a wonderful dinner with Maria who turned out to be a great cook. Boromir wasn't surprised at this as many women in Gondor were good cooks. He ate his dinner and every now and then glanced over to the beautiful women on the other side of the table.  
  
Even now he couldn't believe his luck. This woman had rescued him and the invited him back to her home. On top of all that he thought he had finally found a woman that he wanted to marry. His father wouldn't like it, especially seeing as she wasn't noble. He didn't need to get his father's permission anyway, not if he stayed in Salisbury. This thought hadn't occurred to him before but now it was a strong possibility. It wouldn't be so bad stayed in the City, he had Maria and that was all he really needed.  
  
Boromir wondered if the rest of the Fellowship were having such a good time, he couldn't see anything wrong with this place at all, apart maybe from the police and coloured dragons that patrolled the place.  
  
He had tried to help Frodo before, tried to relieve him of the Ring but the Hobbit had refused. Frodo didn't want his help then so why should he want it now? The Hobbit had a chance to get rid of his burden and he didn't take it. Boromir felt the anger building up inside him again and he had to take a few deep breaths to stop him stabbing out at something.  
  
"I need to leave soon. I have to find my friends. You do understand right?"  
  
Boromir told Maria. She nodded and they continued to eat their dinner in silence. 


	18. gollum

Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Lord of the Rings at all.  
  
Ch18 Gollum  
  
Bob and Ned were still sat in their clearing. Bob's stitching had hurt a lot more than Ned had expected and although the Hobbits wanted to cover some more ground whilst it was still light Ned had insisted that she rested. This had just annoyed Sam. He wanted to get moving as soon as possible but then he remembered what Bob had said to him and didn't say anything.  
  
Ned was still sleeping; she seemed to be very tired since she had been stabbed although this was hardly surprising. Bob checked on her every now and then but she just got annoyed when she woke her up.  
  
She hadn't ever realised that being stabbed would be quite so painful and now she felt really sorry for anyone that had been through it. She wondered if Fred was in that kind of pain or whether it was worse for her. Ned felt she shudder at this, she had tried to block the thought of Fred out of her mind as she didn't want to show Bob that there was probably no chance of saving her.  
  
Fred had been their main priority at first but now there were so many other things that were happening and for a while Ned had almost forgotten about their friend. Ned couldn't believe that she had forgotten about their friend. What with the Wraiths and everything else, including the mad man in the hut, Fred had been pushed out of their minds slightly.  
  
It was only really Bob that had remembered their aim to save Fred. She hadn't mentioned it for a while but she forever felt the presence of Fred even though they were worlds apart.  
  
Over the past few hours Bob hadn't felt that original fear but the visions and feelings had been far calmer and there wasn't as much panic in what she felt. For this she was glad as she was well aware that Fred needed help even though the fear was fading slowly.  
  
Bob had no idea what that meant anyway. It could mean that Fred was already dead and there was no panic. It could mean that she was so weak that she couldn't keep up the psychic link with her friend any longer. She wished she didn't have to think the worst and that Fred was really okay. But the thought that something terrible had happened to her was still in Bob's mind.  
  
Frodo and Sam were eager to get going. They knew from experience that it was risky to stay in one place for too long when Wraiths were about. Frodo sympathised with Ned. He knew what it felt like to be stabbed and he knew that all you wanted to do was rest. He had been forced to keep moving despite what happened at Weathertop and he knew why Ned wanted to wait. He also knew that it was unsafe in the wild with Wraiths following you.  
  
Sam was getting increasingly impatient and didn't like to wait around, he too was aware that they were in danger and he didn't like the thought of being prime targets for Wraiths. He wondered if he should mention this to Bob, she seemed to understand him more than anyone else, apart from Frodo of course.  
  
Last time he had discussed it with her she had told him to stop being impatient and he remembered what she had said about her friends and Frodo being her main priorities. Sam wanted to help Frodo but he didn't think it would help just waiting around, however, he also knew that it was dangerous out in the wild on his own so there was no way he could leave without them. He just had to think of what happened to their friend and it changed his mind. He didn't want to be tortured in Isengard.  
  
He wondered if Frodo wanted to leave the two girls behind as well, surely he didn't care about this Fred, that was the only reason the other two were taking so long. They were worrying about their friend. It didn't help that Bob kept seeing those things, they slowed them down and Sam didn't like it.  
  
Looking back on their journey Sam couldn't see that they were getting anywhere. They were just walking aimlessly through a forest being pursued by Wraiths that wanted to kidnap them all and kill Frodo and take the Ring. It was pointless to be in the Forest and if it hadn't been for the three girls they wouldn't be there in the first place. He was getting fed up of just walking without knowing where they were going and what they were aiming for.  
  
It had been the same in Middle Earth, he never knew what was going on. He didn't like being left out and he was beginning to think that the two girls were doing it on purpose. They could be in league with the Dark Lord. Sam knew that he couldn't trust anyone, not even Frodo. He hated thinking like that but he couldn't help it and he wasn't going to apologise for it.  
  
He wished he could trust someone, especially Frodo who was his travelling companion as well as his best friend. He had been with him from the beginning and he felt that he should be loyal to him despite his thoughts about his relationship with these new people. He did want to be back with the Fellowship where at least he would know where he was going and they would have a good guide.  
  
These people didn't know what they were doing. Fred had been taken by a Wraith after getting frightened by a pony. Bob was having terrible visions of Fred and what was happening in Orthanc, she also had a squirrel which she had named Percy. And finally there was Ned, who appeared to be clinically insane and lead them to a hut where a mad murderer lived.  
  
So far his experiences with these people hadn't been good and he had a feeling that they weren't going to get much better over the next few days. The strange thing was that Frodo trusted them completely which didn't make any sense seeing as he was a fairly intelligent Hobbit. More so than Sam.  
  
He wondered if they would ever get to where they were going if they even knew where that was. Sam wished he was back in Middle Earth and not in this place called The New Forest with people that had absolutely no idea what they were doing. The only really sensible one of the group was Bob who seemed far more concerned about Fred and Ned than she did about the Hobbits and this worried Sam.  
  
He had the strongest feeling that they wouldn't get out this alive and he really wished that he had stayed in Rivendell when Lord Elrond had asked him. He knew that he would have to stick to his promise to stay with Frodo no matter what. He was sure that they would be okay when they left Rivendell. He had always thought that they would have a long time to wait before they ran into too much danger. It had come a little too quickly for Sam and now he was regretting thinking that it would be okay for some time.  
  
Sam knew that Frodo trusted these people and he had no choice but to go along with what he wanted. It was his Master and whatever he thought was right Sam would follow even though he didn't agree with it.  
  
He noticed that Frodo was a little too concerned about Ned, he had been spending a lot of time looking over her and checking his wound. Sam understood that Frodo had been through the same thing at Weathertop and he knew that Frodo had grown close to their companions but he also knew that there was a lot of bad things going on and Sam didn't want to have to help Frodo get over a friendship that would be over soon. He was convinced that they would eventually be separated and have to say goodbye to each other.  
  
Sam thought about what might happen and looking at their track record he was convinced that the two humans would definitely be killed in the next few days. He knew that Frodo would be angry with him if he heard that. Sam was aware that Frodo had grown a little too close to them in the past few days.  
  
"Sam." Frodo called breaking his thoughts.  
  
"Yes, Mister Frodo."  
  
"Ned needs a new bandage on this wound. There should be one in the bag. Can you go and get it? And tell Bob to hurry up and get that hot water."  
  
Sam nodded, angry that Frodo was paying so much attention to Ned and ordering him about for no particular reason. It annoyed him that Frodo thought more of Ned than of him.  
  
He wandered slowly over to where the baggage had been put. He searched around in the bag and tried to find a bandage. When he had found one he went towards the fire that had been built earlier to inquire about the hot water. When he got there Bob was nowhere in sight. The water was boiling and the fire was still going but Bob was nowhere. Sam couldn't understand. She seemed to be the sensible one and wouldn't just wander off for no reason.  
  
Sam decided that something bad must have happened to her. He called out her name hoping to hear some response. There was nothing.  
  
He called again but this time someone grabbed him from behind and put their hand over his mouth. He struggled for a moment but soon stopped when the person identified herself as Bob. She let go of him and he remained silent.  
  
"There's something out there. Can you hear it?" She whispered.  
  
Sam nodded when he heard a slight rustling in the bushes by the side of the fire. He looked hard at them but saw nothing. He knew it couldn't be a Wraith because there was no way one could hide in the bushes. There was nothing else he could think of that would be in this place and want to hide from them.  
  
"Sam." Bob whispered, "Have you seen anything unusual? There hasn't been anything out of the ordinary has there?"  
  
"No." Came the simple reply.  
  
The rustling stopped and everything seemed silent again. Frodo came up behind them and made them jump wondering what they were doing. He knew that these people were slightly strange but for Sam to join in it must have been something serious.  
  
"What's going on?" He asked loudly.  
  
Sam and Bob told him to be quiet and went back to listening for any sign of their follower.  
  
"There's something out there watching us, Mister Frodo." Sam said quietly.  
  
"What?" Frodo asked equally quietly.  
  
Sam shrugged and went back to looking around the camp.  
  
Bob snapped out of listening for something that obviously wasn't there anymore. She was certain that whatever it was wasn't going to show itself to them and had probably disappeared after it thought it had been spotted. Bob had an idea what it might be, she knew the story of The Lord of the Rings and she knew who followed them throughout the book without being noticed.  
  
Frodo went over to the bushes and looked around just to make sure there was nothing there. Sam, of course, followed. He didn't want Frodo to get into trouble. He wanted to know what was out there he certainly didn't like not knowing.  
  
"Perhaps we should venture into the Forest a little. Just to check there's nothing there. I mean we don't want anything jumping on us in the night do we?" Sam asked.  
  
"No. There's no point. Whatever it was knew we were watching it and has run away by now. Besides there's nothing we can do about it, we have no weapons or anything. We don't want to get lost in the woods just before nightfall anyway." Bob replied.  
  
"I agree. It could be dangerous what with those Wraiths following us as well, it's too dangerous." Frodo said, backing Bob up.  
  
Sam nodded, he was pleased that they had said no. He didn't want to go wandering about the woods at night either. He didn't have a good sense of direction and he didn't want to get lost or get caught by a Wraith.  
  
Frodo picked up the water from the fire and walked back towards the clearing where they had left Ned. When he reached where he'd left her he saw nothing but the blanket that had covered her. She was out of sight. He panicked for a second and quickly scanned the area hoping that she had just gone for a walk. This didn't seen very likely but he didn't like to think that something bad had happened to her.  
  
He shouted for the others and they came running. As they reached Frodo they heard a loud scream from the Forest. It wasn't Ned's though. It was someone else but neither three could recognise it.  
  
There was a rustling from the trees and Ned appeared dragging something behind her. It was a person, or something that vaguely resembled a person. They couldn't see exactly what it was but it did remind Bob of a scene from Independence Day. She could have laughed if she hadn't have been so concerned about what was being dragged along.  
  
Ned strolled up to them as if nothing had happened.  
  
"What is that?" Asked Bob sharply.  
  
"Oh. I heard something out in the Forest and it woke me up. You guys were out of sight and I thought I would go and investigate. I found something that you might be interested in." She smiled.  
  
"Wait a minute. You went into the Forest on your own without telling us? After what happened to Fred as well." Bob asked in disbelief.  
  
"Like I said you were over by the fire. You looked like you were doing something important, I didn't want to disturb you. I felt a little better so I decided to go and investigate. I'm fine. Nothing happened."  
  
At this she turned and walked to the body that was lying on the floor. Bob shook her head in disbelief. Sometimes she was convinced that Ned had no idea of what danger was. There were Wraiths all around them and she wanted to go into the Forest and investigate.  
  
Despite her disbelief and anger she followed Ned towards the thing lying on the floor, she was very curious about what was following them.  
  
She couldn't believe what she was seeing. There lying at her feet was Gollum. She had thought that it was him that was following them but she didn't think they anyone would be able to catch them. The two Hobbits looked equally surprised. Frodo had sort of expected Gollum to be there somewhere but he didn't think he was so close.  
  
"Where did you find him?" Frodo asked Ned.  
  
"Just in the woods. He was stalking you. He tried to run away but I managed to catch him and I thought I'd bring him back here. I though you'd be interested in knowing that he was following us."  
  
"Did you have to knock him out?"  
  
"Well, no but you know how much he struggles when you try and catch him. It was a shame I didn't have any Elf-rope he would have loved that." She smiled.  
  
Bob nodded and laughed, remembering the movie. Frodo and Sam didn't understand. They hadn't met Gollum yet and they couldn't imagine why he was following them.  
  
"I suggest we tie him up with something. You know how hard he can be to control."  
  
Bob nodded and Frodo looked on not really understanding what was going on. He knew of Gollum but had never actually properly seen him, he remembered Gandalf telling him of the creature but he didn't go into detail and seeing the pitiful creature amazed Frodo. It was hard to believe that something could become so corrupted by something as small as a Ring.  
  
Bob went to get some rope, she knew exactly what happened in The Two Towers and didn't want the same thing to happen again. Ned stared at the creature feeling a sudden wave of pity for him. She felt like she could relate to him, she knew what it was like for everyone to have an opinion of you and although she knew that Gollum was beyond saving she wished she could do something to help him.  
  
Bob soon came back with the rope and she quickly tied Gollum up and tied the other end of the rope to a near-by tree. She didn't want to take any chances, she knew that Gollum was sly and clever in his own way. The last thing they needed was a fight with him. They had caught him once and they didn't want to lose him now.  
  
**  
  
A few hours passed before Gollum woke up, it was just beginning to get dark and they had begun cooking their meal. Bob figured that the smell must have woken him and she couldn't blame him. Over the past few days they hadn't had much time to stop and eat a proper meal. This was the first time in a while that they had had cooked food and they were pleased for the chance.  
  
Gollum made a lot of fuss, he begged them to release him and Frodo, who felt bad for the creature, wanted to at least loosen the rope. Bob and Ned insisted that he stay tied up, they knew what he was capable of. Frodo took some food over him, he understood why Gollum felt drawn to the Ring and he felt sorry for Gollum who had been so corrupted by the thing that he was now carrying. Frodo thought that if he could help Gollum then maybe there would be chance for his quest.  
  
He approached Gollum slowly; he treated him more like an animal than a being. He felt uneasy around him despite his pity. Frodo reached out his hand towards Gollum.  
  
"It's okay. It's food." Frodo pushed the food towards him, reluctant to get any closer.  
  
Gollum instantly snatched it from the Hobbit's and began to eat it but he soon spat it out on the floor and made a high-pitched squealing noise. Frodo could have sworn he had heard Gollum say "fish". He leaned forward to get closer to Gollum.  
  
Just as he was about to get within Gollum's reach Ned approached them and interrupted them.  
  
"I wouldn't get too close if I were you. He's untrustworthy. He'll kill you if it means getting his hands on the Ring."  
  
Frodo pulled away from Gollum and the creature retreated away at being rejected.  
  
"How do you know so much about him? Gandalf didn't tell me a whole lot about him and he certainly doesn't live in your world."  
  
"Lets just say that I know more about him than you can imagine. He's dangerous and he knows it."  
  
"Do you really think he'd steal the Ring?" Frodo questioned.  
  
Ned knew that it was risky to tell Frodo too much about Gollum, he would find a lot out in the future. She figured that as long as she was careful about what she said it would be alright.  
  
"He only wants the Ring. It's what he's been searching for all this time. He was imprisoned in a dungeon and it didn't stop him and he knows that you have the Ring and he wants what you now have. The only thing he cares about is the Ring. It's what he's always wanted. It's his obsession and he won't give up just because you're in a different place. He'd die for the Ring. And he'd also kill for it."  
  
Frodo looked suspiciously at Gollum. He had never thought about Gollum being willing to kill for the Ring. He wondered if he would ever become that obsessed with it. He felt it all the time. He didn't know how he'd feel if he had to give it up.  
  
"I'll see you later. I'm going to bed." Frodo said sharply. He didn't want anyone knowing his thoughts. Although he had a feeling that Ned knew more about him that she let on.  
  
Ned kept looking at Gollum for some time, she had often imagined what he would look like and she was a little surprised that he was so insane. She felt sorry for Frodo. She was well aware of what he was thinking and she knew how hard it was to know what would eventually happen to him.  
  
"Are you okay?" Bob approached.  
  
"Yeah. Frodo was asking about Gollum." She replied.  
  
"What did you tell him?"  
  
"Not much."  
  
"Not much?" Bob asked, suddenly worried.  
  
"I just told him that he couldn't be trusted and that Gollum would kill him if he got the chance."  
  
Bob cast a worried look.  
  
"Don't panic. I didn't tell him anything about his future or anything like that. I just didn't want him dying or anything." Said Ned.  
  
"Good. You know that it would be dangerous to change anything, even telling Frodo something that he shouldn't know yet could change everything in their world. Besides Frodo still has a long way to go yet and Gollum shouldn't come into it yet."  
  
"I know. Don't worry, I won't tell him anything he shouldn't know. Frodo still has a long way to go and I wouldn't interfere with that. We have no way of knowing what damage it might cause to both their world and our film." She laughed.  
  
Bob nodded and looked up at Ned with a surprised look on her face.  
  
"What?" Said Ned defensively.  
  
"Nothing. For a second there you sounded just like Fred." Bob smiled.  
  
That smile soon faded when she remembered what happened.  
  
"Don't worry. We're going to find her. You know Fred, she wouldn't give up. Especially seeing as The Return of the King is coming out soon."  
  
Bob nodded knowing that Ned was right. 


	19. rememberance and tourment

Disclaimer : I own nothing from lotr at all. Bad luck.  
  
Ch 19 Rememberance and Tourment  
  
Bob and Ned were eger to get on with their journey, they didn't like just waiting around and they had already done too much of it. They knew that if they stayed in the same place much longer they were bound to be found by a Wraith. There was another problem to add to their ever-growing list. Gollum was making a lot of noise and they feared that they would be caught if they didn't find a way of keeping him quiet. He was likely to attract attention to any Wraith that was in the area and they didn't need that.  
  
Bob knew that if they had to run from a Wraith again they were going to lose someone. Ned was injured, Sam was sulking and Frodo was undoubtably missing Middle Earth. Bob knew the power of the Ring and knew that it must have been pressing down on him, after all she herself had often imagined how awful it must be to carry something as powerful as the One Ring.  
  
Bob felt a sudden longing to touch it but the feeling disappeared as quickly as it had come. She wondered if she was being affected by the Ring's power or whether it was just her being paranoid. Bob remembered what happened to Boromir in the story, he had tried to take the Ring from Frodo. Bob didn't want that to happen to her, she hadn't felt that kind of power before and it overwhelmed her slightly. She hoped that the feeling was a one off and would not come again, she didn't want to turn into Boromir and end up hating the Hobbits and then getting shot by an Orc with lots of arrows.  
  
She wondered if any of the others had felt it, she thought about asking them but then she realised that they might think she was weak and she had only just gained Sam's trust. She knew how protective of Frodo he was. She decided it was best if she just kept it to herself and didn't tell anyone.  
  
Bob wandered over to where Ned was packing her things into the bag, she was surprised to see that Ned was no longer in a large amount of pain, her shoulder seemed much better than the night before. To Bob this didn't make much sense, after all she was stabbed by Frank and that kind of wound shouldn't have healed very quickly.  
  
For now she decided not to voice her thoughts, she didn't want to concern Ned with something that could have a perfectly reasonable explanation. Ned had said many times that her threshold of pain was very different to that of others. This didn't sound much like an explanation but Bob didn't want to worry the others so she kept quiet and hoped it was nothing.  
  
She began to help Ned put all the things back in the bag. They began to ask what to do with their new companion, they couldn't just leave him lying in the woods for anyone to find.  
  
'We can't just leave him here. Someone is sure to find him and what do you think they're going to do if they find a character from a movie tied up in the middle of the Forest ? It's too dangerous, if someone finds him they could tell them about the Hobbits and that would completely ruin the plan. All of this would be worthless.' Bob argued her point.  
  
'Well, we can't take him with us. He'll slow us down and you remember how he betrayed Sam and Frodo in Mordor, he led them into danger.'  
  
'I know that but this isn't Middle Earth and we're not in Mordor. He doesn't know anything about Earth anyway, he couldn't lead us anywhere.'  
  
'What if he tries to take the Ring from Frodo ? Then what ? We lose a fictional character in the New Forest who's running around with the Ring of Power. It's too dangerous.'  
  
'We'll keep watch, not let him leave. It can't be that hard. He'll be tied up all the time, there'll be no way he can escape or take the Ring from Frodo.'  
  
Ned nodded and agreed that they couldn't leave him in the Forest.  
  
**  
  
Bob and Ned continued to pack their things away. They kept a watchful eye on Gollum who was continuing to try and encourage Frodo over to where he was tied up. Bob didn't trust him at all. Ned was worried that Frodo might give in and give Gollum the Ring. She used this excuse but she had been secretly worried about what would happen to Frodo, she had never felt this way about Elijah Wood before. It made no sense to her and she didn't like the way she was feeling. Maybe it was the knife wound that was making her like that.  
  
Bob was equally as worried about Frodo but she was concerned that a Wraith could find them any minute. Gollum was making a lot of noise and Bob was sure that he would attract a Ring Wraith eventually. She remembered that in the film Gollum was always making trouble for the Hobbits and almost got them caught once. She knew that if they stayed in the same place for too long they would be found.  
  
**  
  
After about an hour they had packed up all their things and Sam was putting the fire out. It was beginning to rain and they knew that they would get very wet but they couldn't delay any longer. Sam was getting very impatient and was pacing up and down and muttering something under his breath.  
  
Bob and Ned were still checking the site to make sure they hadn't left anything behind. Ned was stooped down and checking that no sign of the fire could be seen, she remembered reading this in the book and was insistant that she did it.  
  
'A Wraith could track us through this, you know.' She said.  
  
'How do you think they're going to track us by a fire ? They already know that we're around this area. I don't think a fire is going to change that. Now come on we're wasting time and Sam wants to leave I think he's getting impatient.'  
  
Ned looked down at the floor just to check that there was nothing left behind. She still thought they should get rid of the remains of the fire. Bob laughed and walked towards Sam and Frodo. Ned couldn't understand what she was laughing at and followed her not realy wanting to move. She moved and a pain shot through her shoulder. She was tempted to sit down but she knew that Bob would want to get out of this place. She straightened and took a few deep breaths to calm herself, she still had that feeling that something else was wrong.  
  
Her head felt light and she moved towards a near-by tree. She leaned against it and tried to clear her head slightly. She thought about sitting down but was put off by Bob shouting that they should get moving as quickly as possible. There were still Wraiths out there and Bob didn't want to get caught by them.  
  
Ned tried to stand up without the aid of the tree but her head still spun and she knew that something was wrong. She stood up and was immediately faced with Bob staring at her and asking what was wrong.  
  
'Nothing. I'm fine, honestly.' Ned insisted.  
  
Bob nodded and walked towards the Hobbits who were stood waiting impatiently. Sam was tapping his foot and mumbling that they shouldn't be wasting time, he didn't like waiting around for people. He was about to say something but when he saw Bob's concerned look he decided not to.  
  
Ned straightened herself and began to walk towards the Company, she was determined to keep walking with them, she had held them up for too long already even though Bob had insisted that they were glad for the rest. She wandered slowly over to them and noticed how angry Sam looked.  
  
'At least you know that Hobbits aren't the slowest people any more, Sam.' Ned joked.  
  
Bob smiled but didn't find the joke very funny seeing as Ned had recently been stabbed by a psycopathic murderer. She was concerned about her friend, she tried not to show it as Ned wouldn't approve. Bob had spent some time trying to figure out what was wrong with Ned but she couldn't think of anything, besides there was nothing she could do in the middle of the Forest.  
  
Ned finally reached them and smiled that she had made it with out falling over. Just as she thought this she felt her balance going slightly and tried to grab something to support herself but there was nothing. Bob was right beside her and grabbed her arm which gave her the support she needed. Ned waited for a minute and then signalled that she no longer needed Bob's help. She got her balance again.  
  
'Thanks.' She said shortly.  
  
'No problem.' Replied Bob.  
  
'Are we ready to go now ? It'll be night soon.' Sam was getting impatient again.  
  
Both Bob and Ned nodded and they began to continue their walk through the Forest. Behind them they pulled Gollum who was being just as stubborn as in the movie. They knew he would be a problem and were prepared for a hard time but Ned was not happy when they had to stop to check that the rope around his neck was tight enough. The thought of having to walk all that way with a wriggling creature tied up behind you was not very appealing to any of the company. They wanted to get out of the Forest as quickly as possible and Gollum was slowing them down.  
  
**  
  
In Orthanc Fred was still asleep. David was looking down at her and trying to imagine what she was like without all the cuts and bruises. She had spoken of a magical and wonderful place and he longed for her to tell him more, he wondered whether he should wake her but he knew that she had been tortured and that she was only young and he thought it best to let her sleep.  
  
One of the stangest things she had spoken about was her friends, he tried to recall what she had told him.  
  
The first thing she had spoken about was her school. She had said that she had been going there for four years, she hadn't been very enthusiastic but he couldn't tell whether that was the torture or not. The next thing he had asked her about were her friends. She had laughed at this but he didn't understand why.  
  
Fred had described two of her friends at school,  
  
'Well,' she said ' there's Bob, Roberta, I met her when I was in Middle School, she was friends with this other girl and she introduced us. After that we became best friends and that hasn't changed since. Then there's Ned, Nedine, she's mad, like completely insane. She was friends with Bob and then we all kinda met up and that was that. We've been friends ever since.'  
  
'Is that it ? I mean there must be more to them than just names. In my land our friends are the most important people in our lives. Is it not like that where you come from ?'  
  
Fred didn't say anything for some time whilst she thought about the question. She had never considered defining her relationship with her friends, they were just there and they were instantly friends when they met and that had never changed.  
  
'I don't know. I've never really thought about it. Of course they're important.'  
  
'Would you die for them ?' David asked.  
  
Fred didn't know what to say, Ned had often asked her that question for her fanfics but she had always thought that it was impossible so she never took it seriously but this was very real and not she was being aksed it she didn't know how to answer. She thought for a minute.  
  
'Yes.'  
  
Fred was surprised that she answered that question with a 'yes', she had never thought that she would die for her friends but now she was forced to think about it and the answer surprised her as much as it did David.  
  
It was true that she had always been close to her friends but she had never thought that she would die for them, however, she had no reason to even consider it in the quiet town she lived in. She began to wonder if she would actually do it. She could imagine herself being a hero and dying for them but she didn't know whether she could actually die for them. She hoped that the time would never come when she would test her theory.  
  
'Your answer surprised you didn't it ?' David interrupted her thoughts.  
  
She didn't know what to say.  
  
'It's just that I've never had to think about dying before, where I come from it's not really something that we have to think about.'  
  
'You mean there's no death where you come from ?'  
  
'Yes, of course people die, just not like you would expect. People don't get killed very often in Wilton, where I come from.'  
  
'Your people do not fight ?'  
  
'Yes they fight, great wars, but not where I live. I guess it's not important enough.' Fred smiled remembering her own town. She wished she was there now.  
  
As she was thinking about this she heard someone trying to open the door. As the heavy door opened she saw the image of a very tall Orc with chains ready to tie her up. She knew there was nothing she could do so she did not fight back. 


	20. an eye for an eye

Disclaimer: I own nothing created by Tolkien.  
  
Ch 20 An eye for an eye  
  
"Tell me, where is the Ring bearer?" Saruman leaned over Fred who was tied to the table in the great hall where she had first met David.  
  
"I don't know." Fred insisted, she could tell that Saruman was getting increasingly impatient, after all she knew he had more important things to do than deal with a girl.  
  
One of the Orcs came over to her and held a pair of what looked like pliers up to her face.  
  
"Either you tell me what I want to know or I let my friend here perform a little surgery. I'm not a very patient person and you are beginning to test my patience. Now, one last time, where is the Ring bearer?"  
  
Fred was even more intimidated than usual by the White Wizard, he had a look in his eye like he was going to kill her if she didn't tell him.  
  
"I don't know. Please, don't hurt me."  
  
Saruman let out and angry sigh and nodded to the Orc with the pliers. He bent down over her until they were touching her face. She didn't know what he was going to do, after all it was hard to perform surgery with just pliers.  
  
"Tell me what I want to know or he'll stick that wonderful torture weapon in your eye and you'll never 'see' your friends again."  
  
"I don't know where he is now. I saw him a long time ago but I don't know where he was heading. I promise. Please, you have to believe me."  
  
Saruman smiled evilly. "I believe you."  
  
Fred sighed in relief. Saruman nodded to the Orc with the pliers. Fred saw them coming towards her and she tried to squirm away from the Orc but she was bound too tightly. There was no way of escaping. She cried out and wished that David could hear her, although she knew it was hopeless.  
  
The pliers touched her eye and she screamed in pain, everything went black in one eye and she felt blood trickling down her face. She wished she could push the Orc away and remove the instrument from her eye but there was no way.  
  
Fred felt the instrument going inside her and she hardly believed what was happening, she had told Saruman that she didn't know anything and she couldn't understand why he was doing this to her. It hurt so much and she couldn't do anything to stop it. She tried to think of things that took her mind off it but she couldn't get rid of that terrible feeling. She knew that soon he would pull out the pliers and she hated to think what would happen. She wondered if she would ever be able to see again. This was when another disturbing thought came to her mind, would he take out the other eye as well?  
  
She could see nothing in her right eye either, she knew that it wasn't damaged just drenched in blood.  
  
Fred cried out in pain as she felt the pliers digging deeper inside her head and she wondered if this could kill her. The only comfort was that she knew Saruman didn't believe her and so would want her alive, however this didn't help with the terrible pain she was feeling or the thought that she would never see out of her left eye again.  
  
The pain was overwhelming, she knew that torture was painful but she hadn't expected this. She cried out Bob and Ned's names hoping for the feeling that they were with her but there was nothing. After a few more minutes she felt herself slipping away and she welcomed the blackness that engulfed her. She was tugged away from this seemingly peaceful place by the sound of Saruman's voice.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to change your mind?"  
  
She tried to shake her head but the single movement sent a wave of pain through her head.  
  
Saruman sighed knowing that he should kill the girl but he still felt like there was something intriguing about her, she knew more than she was letting on and he wanted to know what it was.  
  
"Take her back to the cell." He shouted at the Orc who was now examining Fred's eye that was on the end of the pliers. He had never had so much fun and hoped that Saruman would let him take the other one out soon.  
  
Fred lay still on the table and wished she could see what was going on, she felt the bonds around her arms and shoulders being released. She instantly reached up to her face and tried to clear some of the blood from her right eye. Finally she dared to open her good eye and the first thing she saw was the Orc leaning over her holding a pair of blood-stained pliers. On the end of these was a round object that she recognised. She couldn't believe that she was looking at her own eye.  
  
She felt the nausea rising in her stomach and resisted the urge to hit out at the Orc. She wondered whether she could sit up but this just made her feel even more ill and so she decided it would be best to stay where she was.  
  
The Orc had other ideas though, on realising that Fred didn't want to see what had happened her grabbed her by the arm and dragged her roughly into a sitting position. She screamed at the amount of pain this produced. The Orc seemed pleased that he was hurting her.  
  
"You know, my boss wouldn't mind if I had a little fun before I put you back into that cold, dark cell." The Orc sneered.  
  
Fred looked questioningly and it suddenly struck her what it meant. She let out a cry, which was quickly stifled by the Orc's rough hand. She tried to call out, not that it would do any good, but she couldn't. In fact, she could hardly breathe. Tears rolled down her face as she tried to squirm out of his grip but every time she tried he just held her tighter.  
  
She could smell his hot breath on her neck and wished she could get free but there was nothing she could do.  
  
The Orc but his face against her neck and seemed to relish in the blood that was still pouring down her face. She still struggled to get away but it seemed impossible. The Orc began to sniff at her neck, she knew that he wanted the blood and wondered briefly if he would make it. She hoped not.  
  
Just as the Orc was about to bite her and taste her flesh a booming voice came from down the hall and the room went dark. Fred didn't know what happened and she just sat there with the Orc still gripping her tightly. The room was completely silent except from Fred's heavy breathing. The door to the room swung open and the image of a man in a hat that reminded Fred of Gandalf appeared.  
  
The Orc jumped down from the table and scuttled to a corner away from the shape. A great blast of wind blew through the room and Fred dived to the floor to avoid being hurt by it. She glanced over to the door and wondered who the man was, she was sure it wasn't Saruman but the figure looked familiar in some way.  
  
The figure suddenly disappeared and the candles in the room seemed to grow a flame again. Fred closed her eyes quickly to check that she was awake. When she opened them again the room was the way it had been before except for the trembling figure of the Orc in the corner.  
  
The Orc slowly got to his feet and roughly pulled Fred off the floor, this time she didn't struggle. The Orc pushed her towards the door and through the corridors until they reached Fred's cell. Neither of them could believe what happened but Fred was grateful to whoever it was. She wondered if Bob had anything to do with it but quickly dismissed the idea when she thought of the power Bob possessed.  
  
Fred was thrown into her cell without any thought about whether it hurt her or not. She was still in terrible pain but for a second she almost forgot about it when she began to wonder who the mysterious man in the doorway was. For now she was just glad that she was alive and didn't have that vile Orc breathing down her neck.  
  
David was in the cell still and he rose to his feet when he heard the door opening, he had been worried about what was happening to his newfound friend and was concerned about what the evil Wizard would do to her. When the door opened and he saw her with her eye missing and blood completely covering her face he couldn't believe that it was Fred. For a moment he was a little cautious but when he heard her whisper his name he moved towards her. As he did so Fred began to fall. David caught her before she hit the floor.  
  
David couldn't believe what they had done to her; she was almost unrecognisable as the Fred he had gotten to know. Surprising he felt angry that someone had hurt her and he wanted revenge on the Wizard and the Orc that had done it. He wondered whether anything else had happened when she was being tortured.  
  
He was amazed that this girl could stand up to someone as powerful as Saruman, she couldn't have told them anything otherwise she would either be dead or free and she was neither. He couldn't understand why she was here and why she didn't just tell Saruman what he wanted to know and be let go. David was beginning to understand that there was more to Fred than he first thought.  
  
He held her tightly for some time thinking about what would have happened if they had met somewhere else. He was certain that they would have been good friends or something more. At least he hoped. There was no way that she would be thinking about that kind of thing when she was being tortured in a strange land.  
  
There was still something that puzzled David even though Fred had told him a lot about herself. She seemed to know more than she was letting on, there was always something that he was trying to work out about her, whether it was about herself, her homeland or her friends. He wondered if she had someone else back at home that she loved, after all with someone this mysterious and intriguing he was sure she did.  
  
David picked Fred up effortlessly. He placed her carefully on the stone bed and began to gently clean her face with his ration of water, it was worth going thirsty if it made her feel better. He didn't know whether to properly clean the wound or not but decided that it was the only thing he could really do.  
  
He quickly examined the place where her eye had been and found that it was badly damaged but would probably not cause too much of a problem. The fact that she was now missing her left eye was a little worse. He wondered if she knew or understood what happened or whether she had been in too much shock to fully understand it. He hoped it was the latter for her sake, having your eye taken out must have been very painful and distressing for her.  
  
Fred's breathing was shallow but he guessed that was from the massive shock she had, he knew that he would be the same if it were him.  
  
**  
  
A few hours later Fred awoke from a deep sleep. The first thing she saw was the handsome and concerned face of David staring down at her and asking her if she was okay. At first she didn't know what to say or do. He seemed very close to her. It was upon looking up at him that she remembered what happened. Her hand instinctively reached up to her face and she yelped in pain when it touched her left eye.  
  
The horrors of what happened suddenly came back to her and she looked longingly at David to help her understand. Unfortunately he wasn't much help and he wanted to ask her what happened but on seeing the confused look on her still bloodstained face he decided to keep quiet.  
  
"Are you alright?" He asked softly.  
  
Fred thought this was a very stupid question and felt like telling him what it was really like to have your eye removed and then shoved in your face. Her self-control took over before she could say any of this and she came up with a far more civil answer.  
  
"I think so. I'm still not entirely sure what happened. Apart from the obvious."  
  
David laughed falsely and Fred couldn't blame him, it was a bad attempt at humour that obviously hadn't worked. It had just made the situation even more strained.  
  
"I cleaned your face. I took the liberty of tending to your wounds as well, you were asleep, I didn't want to wake you to ask your permission." He said all of this very quickly as if he was defending his actions.  
  
"That's fine. I'm glad you did. I think it was probably best that I was asleep when you did it. It hurt less." She smiled once again.  
  
David couldn't help but admire her humour in such a distressing time, nothing ever seemed to bother her too much and he wished he possessed the same quality. He wondered whether she was like that at home with her friends.  
  
"Is something wrong?" She questioned, seeing a far away look in his eyes.  
  
"No. Of course not, Fred."  
  
She could instantly tell he was lying. For years she had come to know what someone looked like when they were not being truthful, although the lies of her friend Ned still baffled her. David was far more innocent though. A real warrior she imagined. She could picture him fighting for his freedom and the freedom of his country. Fred wondered if he was well known for his skills as a warrior, although he hadn't said anything about his past or why he was in the dungeon. He had explained about his brother and family but she guessed that there was something more to it than that.  
  
They both looked at each other and smiled awkwardly, neither knowing what to say or do.  
  
Fred decided to break the uneasy silence.  
  
"Thanks for cleaning me up. You shouldn't have used your water ration, you'll need it." She smiled.  
  
"It was my duty to help you, although I fear I did not do a good job."  
  
"No. No, it was fine. Thanks." Fred politely smiled, she realised that the uncomfortable speech was worse than the silence.  
  
Fred's head still pounded even though she was sure she had slept for several hours, strangely she still felt weak and tired. She figured that it was because she had been trying to work out who the figure in the doorway was. She still had no idea. For a moment she thought about asking David but decided that she'd probably sound completely mad.  
  
She had never really believed in angels or things like that but thinking of that figure made her wonder whether it really was some kind of angel. She quickly dismissed the thought as being ridiculous. Was being in Orthanc messing with her mind? It wouldn't surprise her.  
  
David looked across at Fred to find her deep in thought, although he could not read her mind he knew she was thinking of something of great importance yet he was almost afraid to ask. He really didn't know her that well.  
  
"Does something trouble you?" He asked quietly as if reluctant to disturb her thoughts.  
  
"What? Oh, no nothings wrong. I was just thinking about something."  
  
"Is it anything I can help you with?" He asked.  
  
"I don't think so." She almost laughed.  
  
David looked so hurt by this that she felt like she had to tell him what was wrong, after all he was very intelligent and seemed to be genuinely interested and concerned. The worst he could do was laugh at her, and that was nothing compared to what she had been through so far.  
  
"It sounds so stupid now." She explained, "When I was in that room, after Saruman left, the Orc.he, well.you know." She tried to explain but it wasn't working.  
  
"Did he hurt you?" David said angrily.  
  
"No, well not like that. Something stopped him." She paused to see if David was following any of this, his attentive look told her to continue. "There was a blast of wind at exactly the time he was going to hurt me. It was as if it was planned. I fell to the floor and I thought I saw something, or someone, at the door. I can't describe it but it felt like he was helping me. When I went to thank him he just disappeared and everything went back to normal. Does that sound crazy?"  
  
David thought for a second and finally replied, "No. Not at all. When I first came here and was put through my first torture session I thought I saw my brother coming to help me, when I reached out for him I was gone. Torture can do strange things to your mind Fred. You should not believe everything you think you see." He took her hand in his and squeezed it tightly for support.  
  
"No. You don't understand, I wasn't imagining it. He was real, the Orc saw it too, he was really freaked out."  
  
"Freaked out?" David said questioningly.  
  
"You know? Surprised."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"You don't believe me do you?" Fred said quietly.  
  
"Of course I do Fred." He said very sincerely.  
  
David pulled her in close to him and she leaned on his shoulder pleased that she was no longer alone. 


	21. one who has seen the eye

Disclaimer: I wish I owned them but I don't.  
  
A/N: I know it's a short chapter but the next one will be longer, I promise. Please review this. I want to know whether it's good, bad or ugly (sorry bad joke there).  
  
Ch 21 One who has seen the eye  
  
Bob and Ned had been walking for almost three hours and they were beginning to get tired. The Hobbits had been lagging behind for some time but Bob didn't want to mention anything, she knew how hard it would be for someone to walk so far. They weren't used to walking, they had only just started off their adventure in Middle Earth.  
  
Gollum was being pulled along by Bob and she was showing him very little mercy, in fact she liked being able to be in control of someone so important to the Lord of the Rings story, even if he was the bad one. He had tried several times to pull her over or get away but he couldn't and he was beginning to struggle far less.  
  
Bob was still worried about Ned who was having a hard time keeping up and was often as far behind as the Hobbits which was unusual compared to Ned's usual power walking. However, Bob knew that she had just been stabbed and sewn up and must have been in pain but she never said anything. Bob knew there was no point in asking Ned if she wanted to rest because she already knew the answer. Ned wouldn't stop until they all agreed they were too tired.  
  
Frodo was also getting worried about Ned who appeared to be getting slower, he wondered whether he should say that they needed to stop. They had been walking for a very long time without rest and none of them had gotten much sleep the night before.  
  
Ned almost tripped on a tree root but luckily got her balance before she could properly fall over, she tried to pretend that nothing had happened but it was clear to the others that she was still very unwell. Bob thought she was getting paler. Maybe she was just being paranoid she was sure that if something was really wrong with Ned then she would tell her. All the same for the next hour Bob kept a close eye on her just to make sure nothing bad was happening to her.  
  
After about another two hours walking they decided they should set up some form of camp rather than walk any further that day. The Hobbits quickly agreed that they needed rest. Ned on the other hand was not so keen on stopping, Bob knew she thought they were stopping because of her and she was partly right.  
  
The Hobbits went off into the wood, which seemed to be getting thicker all the time, to get some firewood. They came back after a short time to find Ned sat on the floor with her head in her hands and a tired look on her face.  
  
Frodo dropped the wood on the floor where Bob had instructed and went over to Ned to check she was alright. Ned said nothing but just waved him away, he did as she told and went to talk to Bob.  
  
"There's something wrong with Ned. She's not herself."  
  
"I know. At first I thought that maybe it was her wound but there does appear to be something else wrong. She won't tell us what it is though. My advice is don't mention it to her. She knows her limitations, she'll tell us when she's ready." Bob sighed. "What if something happens to her before then?" Frodo asked.  
  
Bob shrugged and turned towards the unlit firewood. She was sure that it would be getting dark soon and they would need some form of light and heat. She wondered if she should ask Ned to light the fire or maybe she could try and do it herself, after all she did know the basics and it would be good practice if she was ever alone in the woods again.  
  
As she was thinking about this Ned was already heading towards the fire and preparing to light it. Bob knew that she would continue as if nothing was happening even though it was clear to see that Ned was getting increasingly unwell.  
  
Bob glanced across to Frodo and Sam who were trying to tie Gollum to a nearby tree but not having much success. She stormed over and shouted loudly at the creature to behave, soon the struggling stopped and Frodo and Sam tied the rope securely to the trunk of the tree. Both the Hobbits were surprised that Bob could be so threatening but Ned just smiled and recognised that Bob had had enough.  
  
Soon the fire was going and Ned sat back pleased with her work. The light was fading fast and she thought about whether it was worth putting some form of camp up or not. Bob was also thinking about this but she was certain that Ned would be better off with some form of roof over her head.  
  
"Do you think we should set up a camp?" Bob asked Ned.  
  
"I guess so. It might rain tonight and I could really do with a good night's sleep."  
  
Bob nodded and went over to Sam's backpack. She pulled out a blanket and handed it to Ned hoping to keep her friend warm. Bob was going to ask her if she was okay but decided against it when Ned put her head back against the trunk of the tree she was leaning against. Bob knew there was something wrong, Ned was different somehow and Bob couldn't explain it.  
  
She went back to the bag and pulled out another blanket she threw it over the branches of a tree and formed what resembled a tent. It would at least keep some of the rain off if not all of it. She began to clear some of the ground underneath but stopped suddenly when a large spider crawled across her hand. She screamed and shook her hand wildly. The spider fell off and crawled away.  
  
Bob sat there watching it for a minute wondering how she ever came to be in this situation. Ned came rushing over to her.  
  
"What happened? I heard you scream."  
  
"Nothing, it was just a spider. What are we doing here Ned? You're hurt, I'm jumpy and the Hobbits are just.confused."  
  
Ned smiled at her friend. She was about to say something in response when Bob suddenly had a glazed look in her eyes. She felt herself falling and Ned quickly reached out and lower her to the floor. Bob was seeing things again. She heard Fred crying out for help, she was in so much pain and Bob could feel some of that although it felt distant, sort of toned down. She heard screaming and felt more pain. Then she couldn't see out of her left eye. Bob's hand went to her face and she pressed against her eye not understanding what was happening to her even though she had experienced something like this before.  
  
Bob began trying to claw at her eye in a desperate attempt to clear the blindness. It didn't work. Ned grabbed hold of Bob's hand and held it to the floor tightly so she didn't hurt herself.  
  
Bob cried out,  
  
"Stop, please, stop."  
  
She tried to pull her hand away from Ned's but her friend held on tightly.  
  
"Bob? What do you see? Is it Fred?" Ned shouted hoping Bob could hear her.  
  
Bob said nothing but continued to watch what she was seeing even though she wanted so much for the image to fade.  
  
Finally the attack seemed to stop and Bob stopped trying to hit out at Ned and calmed down, she was still anxious but she no longer struggled. By this time Frodo and Sam were standing over her worried about what was happening. Ned still kept a hold of Bob's hand but it was more support than restraint.  
  
Bob saw darkness out of her left eye but the right was still fine although a slight red haze had come over her eye. Suddenly a figure appeared, a horrible ugly figure, the shape of an Orc. She tried to escape but something was holding her down, she couldn't move. She began to struggle again but Ned still held her to stop her getting away.  
  
She saw the Orc hold something up. Although her eyes were not at their best she could still make out the shape, it was a stick with something round and dripping with blood on the end of it. Understanding suddenly dawned and she knew the Orc was holding her (Or Fred's) eye. Bob resisted the urge to throw up and tried to look away but the Orc drew the stick closer, so close that her eye was almost touching her face.  
  
Bob screamed loudly and began to shout something that made no sense to Ned, Frodo or Sam.  
  
Suddenly the Orc disappeared and Bob relaxed a little, she could feel that he was still in the room and she could also feel how afraid Fred was. She tried not to think of her friend all alone in that tower.  
  
The fear increased sharply although Bob could not understand why, she saw the Orc looming over her again with a wicked look on his face. She didn't understand at first but then she realised what was going to happen. She cried out to Fred, hoping to warn her some how but from the feeling she got she guessed her friend already knew what was going to happen.  
  
Just as the Orc began to touch Fred (or Bob) the image abruptly went and the light began to come back to Bob.  
  
The first thing she saw was Ned holding her hand to the ground. She looked confused for a second but began to realise what had happened, she guessed from the look on Ned's face that she had some idea of what happened as well.  
  
Ned released her grip and the first thing Bob did was to check that her eyes were alright. She sighed in relief when everything was normal. Then she thought back to what she had seen, she didn't know what to say. She had seen the most awful things and she had felt her friends fear and it was so intense. She began to cry not knowing what to do or what to tell Ned and the others.  
  
After a while she finally forced herself to stop and calm down. Ned let her and then asked,  
  
"What did you see?"  
  
"I.I honestly don't know how to describe it. She is so scared Ned. We need to find her; she wants us to help her. The things they're doing to her, it's terrible." Bob's voice wavered and she tried not to start crying again.  
  
"We will help her Bob. I promise, we will get her out of there." Ned tried to sound confident.  
  
Bob nodded and a wave of exhaustion swept over her, she leaned back hoping there was something behind her to support her but there was nothing. Ned could see that she was tired and helped her to the ground. Bob closed her eyes hoping to block out the images but they came in even more vividly.  
  
She fell asleep instantly, as did the others. They didn't know it but the time for rescuing Fred was closer than they knew. 


	22. hospital

Disclaimer: Come on, like I could own the Fellowship.  
  
A/N Just thought I'd catch up with the other characters. They were beginning to feel a little neglected. Enjoy, and please review.  
  
Ch 22 Hospital  
  
Legolas lay in the hospital bed provided for him even though he had objected several times to being treated. The doctors in the hospital had insisted that he at least take some rest before they let him go. Their final argument was that his friend, Pippin wasn't going anywhere for some time and that the Hobbits needed rest just as Legolas did.  
  
Merry was left sleeping on a chair in the waiting area of the hospital, the nurses had debated whether to wake him and put him in a proper bed but they decided against it as they didn't want to disturb his rest. Merry was hardly asleep though, he kept remembering what happened at the river and although he tried as hard as he could to push it out of his mind he still saw his friend going under water.  
  
He couldn't help but think that Legolas and Pippin blamed him. The Elf had clearly been surprised to see that Merry was just sat on the bench doing nothing. Merry wondered it Pippin blamed him. He had considered checking on him earlier but didn't want to wake his friend after his ordeal.  
  
Merry finally gave up trying to sleep. He was tired but the images of what had happened that day were still too fresh in his mind. He sat up quickly in his chair and glanced around him to see if anything had changed, he was not surprised when everything was the same. There were several different people sat in the chairs in the waiting room and all of them were ill in some way or another. One man reminded him of someone they had met the night they had stayed in the inn at Bree.  
  
He smiled to himself at the memory, he wished he was back in Middle Earth, so far this place had not been kind to them.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar-sounding voice. He couldn't quite place it at first but then he recognised it. It was Gimli. Merry jumped out of his chair and made his way towards the Dwarves loud voice. He was met with a sight that would have made him laugh if it had been at any other time. Gimli was stood trying to look over the desk and trying to get the woman behind the desk to tell him where he was.  
  
"Perhaps I can help you, sir?" Merry said loudly.  
  
Gimli swung around.  
  
"And how would you help me if you.."  
  
Gimli stopped speaking when he saw the Hobbit. He raced forward and threw an arm around Merry. The Hobbit was a little surprised but tried not to show it to Gimli who was muttering something about no longer being lost.  
  
"I didn't think I would find you so soon Master Merry." He laughed. "Tell me where is Frodo and your friend Pippin?"  
  
Merry's smile faded quickly at the mention of Pippins name.  
  
"He was injured Gimli, he is here in this.hospital. He fell into a river and would have died if Legolas had not been there to help him."  
  
Gimli looked concerned for a moment.  
  
"Are you also hurt?"  
  
"No. I was not in the water. I.I was somewhere else." Merry avoided the dawarves eyes and Gimli asked no questions.  
  
The dwarf's eyes lit up again when he changed the subject.  
  
"Then Legolas the Elf is here also? Tell me are they badly injured?"  
  
"No. Pippin is merely suffering from a headache and from the cold and Legolas is simply tired and cold. They are in there somewhere." Merry pointed towards the doors that led to the rooms in which the two companions were sleeping.  
  
"That is well. Let us fetch them and be on our way. It is not wise to linger here Master Pippin." Gimli said quietly.  
  
"Have you seen any of the others. Gandalf, or Aragorn?"  
  
"No. I have been having my own problems. I was imprisoned." Gimli said no more and Merry asked no questions.  
  
"The others should be fit to leave first thing in the morning. The doctor came and said they needed rest even though both protested, especially Legolas." Merry smiled and the Dwarf did the same.  
  
"Very well, we shall rest here tonight and leave first thing in the morning in search of out friends. I am pleased I have found you. I no longer feel so lost."  
  
"Yes. Now we have to find Frodo and Sam. Who knows what they're doing and where they are." Merry replied.  
  
**  
  
Boromir was packing his bag that had been left on a chair inside Maria's house. He was trying to find all his things which had been scattered all over the place during his short stay. Boromir knew that he could wait no longer and would have to go and at least try to find his friends. As much as he wanted to stay he knew he had a duty and he had to keep his word that he would help in the quest for the Ring. Another thing that encouraged him was the Ring, he still wanted to hold it and have it for himself and his people.  
  
For now he was content with just looking at Maria who was also packing her things into a small bag. After a long argument they had decided that she would help him in his search as she knew her way around the town. He had finally caved in and allowed her to go with him. She had been thrilled that he had given in so easily.  
  
She had seen that Boromir wasn't as tough as he tried to make out the moment she met him, even though he was unconscious at the time, she laughed when she remembered the scared man that had fallen into her arms a while ago.  
  
He glanced across at her not understanding what she found so funny given the seriousness of the situation. He had to find the Fellowship, he would not let Gondor get a reputation for abandoning people whenever things got hard. He was a true patriot and would no disappoint his people or him father. The memories of Gondor all came flooding back to him, he remembered his favourite quiet spot he had found as a child, the place he still went to even when he had grown up into a warrior.  
  
Boromir pulled himself from his thoughts and tried to concentrate on what he was going to do. He would look in the most obvious places his friends would go, after all they were probably as confused as he was.  
  
After another five minutes arguing playfully about whether they would need a torch or not the two travellers finally set off. They had packed all of Boromir's belongings and the things that Maria thought they would need if they were to find Boromir's friends. He had been surprised that she still wanted to help after he had refused to tell her anything about them and why he needed to find them so much. But she had insisted that it was alright and had urged him out of the door.  
  
**  
  
Aragorn had woken up after several hours of laying sleeping in Fred's parents room, he hadn't realised how tired he had been and now was slightly embarrassed that a Ranger couldn't stay awake long enough to accept tea from a kind woman.  
  
She had insisted that it was perfectly alright and that he must have been exhausted, and he knew she was right. Before he got to the house he had had very little sleep either there or in Middle Earth. However, when he had awoken from his long and much needed rest he had found a fresh cup of tea by his bedside and some food which he did not recognise. It tasted really sweet almost like honey but far too sticky. He examined the food for a second hoping that maybe it would give up the secret as to what it was.  
  
He tasted it and looked curiously at it. It was then he heard a voice at his door.  
  
"It's treacle. It's not very good for you but it tastes nice. If you don't like it I can prepare you something else, perhaps something hot?"  
  
Aragorn hadn't eaten in a while and the thought of hot food made him even hungrier. This woman certainly seemed to want to help him and they had both seemed pretty genuine when he had first arrived. He nodded and smiled and she motioned him to follow her. He did as instructed still a little wary about where he was. He didn't sense any danger near-by and growing up amongst Elves was enough to teach him when he should follow his instinct.  
  
"Here, sit down. I'll make you something." The woman smiled. "What would you like? We have eggs, bacon, beans.?" She looked at him and noticed the confused look on his face.  
  
She followed his eyes and noticed he was staring at the refrigerator.  
  
"It keeps food cold." She didn't need to say nay more. Not that she could explain it any better anyway.  
  
"Anything will do, thank you my lady." She couldn't help but smile at his politeness and he sensed her shock and embarrassment and quickly changed the subject. "Please, tell me of your daughter. You said she went missing. Do you know how it happened?"  
  
The woman started heating up pans and putting food in, she had barely started and already the kitchen smelt terrific to Aragorn.  
  
"What can I tell you of Fred. She's my daughter. Surely that's enough? Fred is the only thing in the world that matters to me right now. All I want is to have her here with me and for her to be safe. My husband's been searching for days but there has been nothing. Fred disappeared at school a few days ago and no one knows where she is. She went missing with her friends, Bob and Ned I think their names are. They have been friends for as long as I can remember. This isn't like Fred she wouldn't just leave school, especially not without telling anyone where she was going. Would you like something to drink." The woman talked so quickly it took a few moments for all the information to sink in.  
  
"Yes. Thank you." He smiled at her. "Do you have any idea where she has gone. I mean is anything strange happening?"  
  
"No, not that I know of. Apart from you coming here."  
  
Aragorn nodded and thought for a moment. He jumped out of his chair. He grabbed Fred's mother by the arm and swung her round. "Do you know exactly how many days ago Fred went missing?"  
  
"Of course." She replied a little taken back. "It was six days ago."  
  
"Fred went missing six days ago? That is exactly when I came here. That does seem a little strange wouldn't you say?"  
  
Aragorn had a look of concentration on his face, he had finally figured it out. He knew that Fred was with the Fellowship. All he had to do was track down this girl and he would be reunited with his friends.  
  
"You should call your husband, we are leaving as soon as he gets back."  
  
Aragorn ran back to the room he was staying in and grabbed his sword. He had a feeling that there would be great danger when he found them.  
  
**  
  
Gandalf saw them being tortured he felt their pain. He recognised neither of them but Orthanc was so clear in his mind. A young girl being tortured had been enough to make him do something. Although there was no way he could hurt Saruman at least he could help his victims. He used all his power to create that image in the hope that it might at least frighten the Orc away. And it worked. He was pleased that his magic had worked even though he didn't think the things he was working with were brilliant. He had saved the young girl's life and hopefully made Saruman know what he was up against.  
  
Maybe next time he should go straight for Saruman instead of helping victims he could have been saving them. 


	23. paul and wraiths

Disclamier : I really wish I owned them but they belong to Tolkein. Bod for me.  
  
A/N : Hope you're enjoying the story. I know I'm enjoying writing it but I would enjoy it even more if you guys reviewed. Please don't be shy. You are my inspiration.  
  
Ch 23 Paul and Wraiths  
  
Bob sat up, she had been asleep for nearly four hours and she had almost got that horrible image out of her head, she could still feel that thing driving into her eye and she also heard Fred's screams, they echoed in her mind and no matter what she did she couldn't get rid of them.  
  
Ned was alsleep by the fire that had been built without Bob's knowing. Bob wondered if she should wake her up and ask her where they were, not that she'd know anyway. She decided it was best to let her sleep, after all she had been stabbed a few days ago. She glanced over to Frodo and Sam who were also asleep, Bob noticed that Frodo was holding the Ring closer than the past few nights and wondered if he felt danger nearby, she knew that she couldn't hope to understand what the Ring felt like but she had a sudden urge to touch it.  
  
She took a step towards Frodo walking as quietly as she could trying not to wake the others. She stopped suddenly when she heard a voice behind her.  
  
'I see you want the Precious too. I knew you were not as good as you made out.'  
  
Gollum surprised her and she jumped. At first she didn't understand what he was saying but she remembered that he was talking about the Ring. Her senses suddenly came back to her and she looked surprised to find that her hand was automatically reaching for the Ring that Frodo held in the palm of his hand. She pulled away quickly and took a step back. She no longer felt the need to touch it.  
  
She stood and stared at Frodo for a moment. She didn't know why she had wanted to have the Ring although she knew that weak people were often drawn to it she didn't consider herself to be like that.  
  
As she stood thinking she didn't notice the man limping up behind her, she finally turned round to see a gun pointed at her face. She screamed and instantly fell to the floor. She didn't know what to do, she had never had a gun pointed at her before and she hoped she never would have again.  
  
The man seemed to be dressed in some kind of uniform, like a park ranger. That made sense they were in the forest. Why he was holding a gun to her head she didn't know and she didn't think she was in the position to ask.  
  
He looked down at her for a while and quickly glanced around the camp as if looking for something in particular. He pressed the gun to her neck and finally spoke.  
  
'Do you know that it illegal to build a camp fire in the woods ?'  
  
Bob didn't know what to say, of all the things he could have said about them being out there all he was worried about was the fact that there was a camp fire out there. She didn't know what to say. She wondered whether she would be arrested, at least they would be out of the woods but she didn't think people could get arrested for a fire.  
  
The man pulled the gun away and held out a hand to help her up. She looked at him for a minute and noiced that he was quite tall and obviously used to being in the woods. She wondered for a moment whether he had been sent to look for them but he didn't seem to know their names so that was impossible.  
  
'Who are you ? What are you doing out here ?' He said impatiently as though she should have explained before.  
  
'I.I'm lost. I got lost a few days ago and my friend is hurt, she needs help.' She knew the man wouldn't know what she was talking about but she had to say something and it was better to appear to be completely insane rather than have a gun to her head again.  
  
The ranger looked at her suspiciously for a moment and then looked over to Ned who had not been disturbed by the sound of Bob screaming. Blood was soaking the blanket where her wound had been and Bob wondered how long it had been like that.  
  
The ranger walked quickly over to her and rolled her onto her back, still Ned didn't wake.  
  
'What happened to her ? Did you meet a wild animal or something ?' He asked whist inspecting Ned's wound.  
  
'Something like that.' Bob replied.  
  
Meanwhile Sam and Frodo had only just woken up and they were shocked to see a man hovering over Ned. Frodo immediately jumped up and ran over to the man and tried to push his away from Ned. Bob tried to shout at him to stop but he wouldn't listen. Finally she grabbed his arm and threw him to the ground, she didn't understand why Frodo was being so protective over Ned all of a sudden.  
  
The ranger quickly got to his feet and took a threatening step towards Frodo but stopped when he saw how small he was. He gave them a strange look and said,  
  
'Is this some kind of weird teenage party ?'  
  
Bob could have laughed if their situation had not been so serious but she thought better of it and simply replied, 'Can you help my friend. She was stabbed.'  
  
The ranger nodded and turned back to Ned. He quickly checked the wound and looked up at Bob.  
  
'Tell me you didn't stitch this yourself.' Bob nodded and the ranger turned away with a sigh.  
  
'We need to get her to a hospital unless you want her to die.'  
  
Bob nodded and went to collect some of their belongings up, she went around quickly taking all the things she thought they might need. After about five minutes the camp site was demolished. She was careful to make sure there were no signs of them ever being there, they had avoided the Wraiths many times and she didn't want to be caught by them now.  
  
The ranger watched her closely, he knew there was something else going on but he didn't know what it was. They were scared of something but the only thing he thought they had to be scared of was the occaisonal wild animal. But there was something more, something that they were scared of. He got the feeling that they didn't want to leave, that maybe they were in hiding.  
  
It was then the ranger noticed Gollum. He didn't know what to say he had never seen anything like it. It wasn't human as far as he could tell. He stood in front of it and put his hand out as if to touch it. Bob quickly stopped him by grabbing his arm.  
  
'I wouldn't do that if I were you. He bites.'  
  
The ranger stood not knowing what to say.  
  
Bob almost laughed at him for not knowing what to say, he was clearly confused as to what was going on and Bob had to admire him for not running away. She knew that he must have been pretty frightened, it certainly wasn't normal to see a strange creature and four people hiding out in the woods. Bob had thought about explaining everything to him but she thought twice when she had seen his reaction to Gollum.  
  
He bent down and picked Ned up, surprisingly she didn't stir. For the first time Bob noticed the rangers limp, it was in his right leg and he had clearly been injured at some point quite recently. She decided not to bring it up.  
  
'So why are you really out here ? You're hiding from something aren't you ?'  
  
'Yes. We are being hunted.' Bob said with no further explanation.  
  
'Hunted ? By what ? Is this some strange new craze or something ?'  
  
'No.'  
  
'What happened to your friend ?'  
  
'She was stabbed. I think the blade might have been poisoned. She has been ill for some time. She forced me to stitch up the wound a few days ago and she has been getting worse.'  
  
'Okay. So what's with the funny creatures ?'  
  
'Funny creatures ? You mean Gollum ? He was stalking us, we caught him and tied him up. We had to take him with us, he's trying to get to something that one of the Hobbits carries.'  
  
'Hobbits ? Are they the short people back there ?'  
  
Sam looked up angrily at that remark and was going to protest but decided against it.  
  
'Did you never see The Lord of the Rings ?'  
  
'What ?'  
  
'Never mind. Anyway, we have to be careful, there are still things out there. They have been trying to catch us ever since we came here. They took our friend, we're not sure how to get to her.'  
  
'Did these things hurt your friend here ?' The ranger asked as he looked down at Ned who was still sleeping.  
  
'No. It was a man. He told us his name was Frank.'  
  
The ranger stopped suddenly, Bob continued to walk for a while before she realised he had stopped. 'Did you say his name was Frank ? He lives in a hut not far from here.'  
  
'Yeah, that's the one. Do you know him ?'  
  
'He gave me this.' He said indicating to his leg. Bob guessed that Frank had caused the injury that had given the ranger the limp. 'That guy is insane. Where is he now ? He's not wandering the woods is he ?'  
  
'My guess would be no.' Bob said calmly, 'He's dead. I killed him.'  
  
The ranger didn't know what to say. He almsot dropped Ned when he heard the news that Frank was dead.  
  
'He's dead ? How did you kill him ?'  
  
'With his own knife. He caught us and tied us up, he stabbed Ned and then tried to hurt me. I got free and slit his throat. I know it was probably wrong but I had no choice.' Bob tried to defend her actions but the ranger didn't seem too worried that Frank was dead, in fact, he had a smile on his face.  
  
'You should be given a medal or something for that. The man was a heartless killer. He killed my family almost a year ago and gave me the limp leg to remember him by. He deserved to die. I've been trying to get him arrested for some time but he never leaves any evidence. I became a ranger to keep an eye on him. Looks like I don't have to any more.'  
  
The ranger grinned, suddenly pleased that he had met the people.  
  
'My name's Paul by the way. I must say I was a little surprised when I saw you guys out here. I know a way to a town, as soon as we get there they can help your friend.'  
  
Bob smiled but knew that she couldn't just leave Frodo and Sam and Fred. However, the thought of a proper meal and a warm bed was very tempting. She nodded pleased that she had finally found her way out.  
  
Paul walked forwards but was instantly stopped when the blade of a Ring Wraith sliced his neck. Bob hardly knew what was happening. His head fell off quickly. His body fell to the ground and was closely followed by his head. Ned also fell to the floor and was instantly covered in blood. The Wraith stood there for some time watching them but not moving.  
  
It was as if it were waiting for orders or maybe it was just searching for the Ring. Bob knew that they had to get out of there, she turned to tell the Hobbits to run but they were already heading away from the Wraith. Bob wanted to run but she knew she couldn't just leave Ned there.  
  
Ned was just coming back into consciousness and the first thing she saw was a Wraith staring down at her, she quickly realised that she was also covered in blood and that it was not her own. She turned her head to one side and saw the head of someone else but she instantly saw that it wasn't attached to a body.  
  
Despite the pain that was racing through her body she knew she had to move out of the way of the Wraith. She rolled away from it and was instantly helped to her feet by Bob who was shouting at her to help herself up. Ned could tell that all Bob wanted to do was run out of there but she was intent on helping her friend.  
  
Ned rose to her feet and stumbled away from the Wraith. She tried not to lose her balance but she couldn't help it. She felt herself falling to the ground but she was caught by Bob who dragged her forwards and away from the Wraith. She finally managed to get to her feet properly and Bob was gald that she was not putting so much weight on her.  
  
They ran towards the wooded area in a hope to escape the Wraith. They reached the trees and ran further into the wood. After what seemed like hours they finally stopped, they were sure that the Wraith was no longer behind them but they still hid behind a tree in case it suddenly appeared.  
  
Ned fell to the ground in exhaustion and Bob wanted to do the same but she resisted the urge to rest and leaned against the tree checking for any sign that the Wraith was coming after them but she heard nothing. She sighed with relief and looked towards Ned who was beginning to lose consciousness again. Bob dragged her to her feet and forced her to stay awake.  
  
Bob led them through the forest always looking for Wraiths and Frodo and Sam, they could be anywhere in the forest and there was no way to find them. Bob hoped they hadn't gone too far. She also realised that they had lost Gollum, she didn't know whether he was alive or dead and she didn't really care. All she wanted to do was help Ned and find the Hobbits. Also she was thinking about Fred. When they had been attacked by the Wraith she had realised that there was a way of getting to Middle Earth although she was sure the others were not going to like it.  
  
TBC 


	24. the plan

Disclaimer: I wish I owned them but I don't I have to be satisfied with just writing about them.  
  
Ch 24 The Plan  
  
Bob and Ned finally stopped running. They were sure that they were no longer being chased by the Wraith. Ned was on the verge of collapse so Bob had forced herself to stop running even though she knew she could never be far enough away from the Wraith. They were now trying to catch their breath and sitting down on a fallen tree. Bob heard something from the bushes and was instantly on alert. She signalled for Ned to be quiet and stood up silently. She looked at the bushes hoping it wasn't a Wraith that was still stalking them. Something emerged but it wasn't a Wraith. It was two trembling and out of breathes Hobbits.  
  
Bob breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down on the tree. The Hobbits came over to her without saying anything, they were too tired. They sat that way for almost ten minutes before Bob finally broke the silence.  
  
"That Wraith really wanted to capture us." She said, stating the obvious.  
  
Frodo, Sam and Ned didn't say anything just gave her a confused and sarcastic look.  
  
"How did you work that out?" Ned said sarcastically.  
  
"Where do you suppose they would take us if they did capture us?"  
  
"To Middle Earth I guess."  
  
"True, but where exactly."  
  
"I suppose to Isenguard." Ned said not really understanding what Bob was getting at. Bob realised this and continued trying to make her understand.  
  
"And where do we need to go?"  
  
"Home." All three said in unison.  
  
"No. Isenguard. To Orthanc."  
  
Ned and the Hobbits gave her a confused look.  
  
"That's where Fred is." She said enthusiastically.  
  
It finally dawned on the others what Bob was thinking.  
  
"So what, you're just going to stroll up to one of them and ask for a ride to Middle Earth?" Ned said.  
  
"No. I let one of them capture me. It takes me to Isenguard and I get into Orthanc. I rescue Fred we find a way to come home and we are all fine."  
  
Bob's idea was met with nothing but a stunned silence. None of them could believe what they were hearing. Each of them knew that there was a possibility that the plan might work but they also knew the dangers of what she was proposing. They couldn't believe that Bob would even think about doing something so crazy.  
  
"So how do you plan to get captured by a Wraith without it killing you?" Ned finally broke the silence.  
  
"Easy. I wait for one to come and get me. It shouldn't be hard there are a few around."  
  
"Alright and what's to say that when it sees you it won't kill you right away?"  
  
"It took Fred didn't it? And the one that attacked us earlier on had no intention of killing us. They want us alive."  
  
"So you're just going to wait until one finds you and hope it doesn't kill you? That doesn't sound like a very good plan to me."  
  
"Do you have a better idea? Look, Fred needs our help. I can feel it, she's in pain and she needs to get out of there. You can't feel it; you can't feel what they're doing to her. Do you want me to just sit here and wait until they kill her? I won't do that."  
  
"I know you want to help Fred but what happens if you die?"  
  
"Then you'll have to think of another way of helping her. I have to know that I at least tried and I will not sit here and listen to her screaming in my head any more. Please, you have to trust me that this will work."  
  
"Then let me go. I have more knowledge about Middle Earth than you."  
  
"No. You're hurt and besides the reason they took Fred in the first place was because they thought she knew things about Middle Earth, with your knowledge it would make it worse."  
  
"Then let me come with you."  
  
"No. Someone needs to look after the Hobbits and make sure nothing happens."  
  
"I can't believe we're even considering this." Ned said in disbelief.  
  
"We're not considering it. I'm going. You're staying and that's that."  
  
Ned couldn't believe what she was hearing. Bob had never been so insistent on anything before and it almost scared Ned that she was so adamant.  
  
"Alright. We'll go along with your plan." Ned said in defeat.  
  
Bob smiled pleased that she had won the fight. Although she was terrified about what she was suggesting. What did she know about rescuing people and fighting battles? She had no idea what she had just gotten herself into all she knew was that Fred's calls still echoed in her head and she had to help her friend. Ned could see in Bob's eyes that she was scared but she didn't mention anything.  
  
"What about Gollum?" Frodo asked.  
  
"I don't think he can cause much damage yet, he's far away from anything out here and he was probably so terrified by the Wraith that he has gone into hiding. Besides if Bob's plan works and she figures out what's going on here Gollum should be back in Middle Earth pretty soon." Ned answered. "Plus you have me to protect you." She smiled trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"That's reassuring." Frodo said under his breath.  
  
Ned pretended not to hear this remark and turned her attention back to Bob who was staring off into the distance. Ned knew she was thinking about what she was going to do and the look on Bob's face betrayed how afraid she was.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ned asked.  
  
Bob snapped out of her staring and concentrated on Ned.  
  
"I don't have much choice. I can feel Fred getting weaker. I don't think she can last much longer in that place. Besides we don't know what we'll have a chance like this again so we should make the most of it." She said trying to hide the fear in her voice. She said all this whilst at the same time trying to convince herself that it was a good idea.  
  
Ned reached into her pocket and took out the small penknife she always carried around with her.  
  
"Take this. I know it's not much of a weapon but it's the best thing we've got right now and I think you're going to need it far more than me."  
  
"Thanks." Bob said not knowing whether that was good or bad.  
  
Bob could imagine what to expect if it was like the movie but what she didn't want to think about was what if it was like the book. She had only read it once and certainly didn't know all the details off by heart. In a way she wished Ned was going with her, at least she knew some of what went on in Middle Earth.  
  
The image of Fred in that small cell being tortured by hideous Orcs was enough to persuade Bob that this needed to be done. She had promised that she would find her friend and she would not give up now. She nodded to Ned and they began walking looking for the Wraith that was going to take her to Isengard to rescue Fred.  
  
**  
  
In that small cell in Orthanc Fred and David were talking once more about their previous lives before the nightmare had begun. David had let Fred do most of the talking only asking a few questions here and there. He had never once mentioned his own family and although Fred was eager to find out more about him she didn't want to push him into saying something he didn't want to. Every so often he would look like he was going to say something but changed him mind and shut his mouth before he was tempted.  
  
David picked up his ration of water and dipped a small cloth in it, he ringed it out so as not to waste any precious water that they might later need. He motioned for Fred to come closer to him and she did as he instructed. He gently placed the wet cloth onto her face where she had been hurt during the brutal removal of her eye. She winced when she felt a small rush of pain go through her face but he did not retreat and she trusted that he knew what he was doing. In fact he seemed to know something about healing and she remembered that many people in Gondor knew at least something about healing. She made the most of it and let him help her.  
  
"You really shouldn't use your own water you know. You should use mine." She said to him.  
  
"I would never ask you to do that. You are not well, Fred." He said in almost a whisper as if it hurt him to admit it. Fred merely smiled at him and he seemed visibly relived that she said nothing else about it.  
  
"You too are hurt. Would you like me to take a look at you.at your wounds." She corrected herself quickly although she was sure he didn't notice.  
  
"Thank you Fred but I am alright. I did not know you were a healer."  
  
"I wouldn't say a healer exactly. More like a handy person to have around if you're hurt. I study health at my school. I am well trained in first aid I promise. You have done so much for me this is my way of saying thank you." She smiled.  
  
After a minute of though he nodded and smiled back at her. He carefully drew the cloth away from her eye and watched her for a few seconds.  
  
"Okay, where were you hurt?" She asked.  
  
He laughed when she said this and soon realised why. Everyone who was tortured in this place was probably hurt all over including her.  
  
"I believe there is quite a large cut on my side." He said seriously.  
  
She nodded and wished she didn't have to ask this next question.  
  
"Can you take your shirt off please?"  
  
He didn't seem to notice her discomfort and did what she said straight away. She gasped when she saw the long red mark that ran along his stomach. He noticed this and held up her hand to touch it as if to prove that it was nothing but a scar.  
  
"It happened when I was first caught. I tried to kill some of them and they did this to me. It happened a long time ago and the pain is no longer there."  
  
She nodded knowing he would say no more on the subject.  
  
"Where are you hurt?" She asked and he pointed to a gash in his side.  
  
Fred almost regretted saying she'd help him, the wound looked quite severe and she had never really treated anything other than a cut finger she hoped she could look after this although she doubted she could do much without a proper first aid kit. She examined the wound silently knowing David was watching her every move. She tried to concentrate on what she was doing but the thought of him watching her and the pain that she still felt from her eye was almost too distracting.  
  
"I think I can do a little to help. I'm sorry it won't be much but I'll try."  
  
He nodded as she reached to the floor to pick up her own tin of water that the Orc guards had left them several hours ago. She decided to use her own even though she knew David would protest, he had done enough to help him that this was the least she could do.  
  
"You should not use your own water. Please use mine." He handed the tin to her but she took it and put it carefully back on the floor and ripped a bit of cloth off David's old cloak which was already useless for it's true purpose.  
  
Fred dipped the cloth carefully into her own water and placed it gently onto the wound that was on David's side. He flinched a little but did not cry out or complain. She looked at his face and the same blank expression she was used to was still on there as if nothing was happening even though it must have been painful.  
  
"So tell me some more about your family. I have told you almost everything about me but the only thing I know about you is your name."  
  
"Maybe that is all you need to know." He said but there was no anger in his voice. "Alright, what do you want to know?"  
  
"Who were your parents?"  
  
"They are dead."  
  
"Okay. Where did you grow up?"  
  
"In Gondor." He searched her face and knew she wanted more, he had never told anyone about his youth but something about Fred made him want to tell her everything about himself. There were some things that she just didn't need to know though. "I grew up in a very lovely place. It was huge, the biggest grounds in the city, my father was a great man who inherited a lot of money and spent it well. We lived in a big house in the best part of Gondor. My growing up was very much like every other rich person. Boring but nice."  
  
"Wow. So you're rich?"  
  
"No my parents were rich. They lost all their money to gambling. A particularly nice man who took everything including our home away from us. After that I never saw my parents again and I went to live with my uncle. I never looked back."  
  
"So how do you know that your parents are dead?" She asked cleaning around the wound.  
  
"With the amount of trouble they used to get themselves into I doubt they lasted very long."  
  
"That's awful."  
  
"Not really. I had a good life after that. My uncle was a good man and I never regretted leaving."  
  
"What was life with your uncle like? And don't just say good."  
  
"Quiet. Nowhere near as extravagant just normal. He had a small house and he taught me everything I know about healing and fighting."  
  
"You mentioned you had a brother the other day."  
  
"Yes. I never really knew him. He went to train as a warrior when I was young and only returned several times."  
  
"You must have missed him."  
  
"You cannot miss someone you don't know Fred."  
  
"True. But still weren't you lonely with your uncle?"  
  
"It was quiet but not lonely. I had uncle to keep me company and my horse of course, we were good friends. And then there was the girl."  
  
Fred's face dropped. She had never even considered that David might already have a girlfriend. She couldn't believe that she was so upset about it. No doubt that she was attracted to him but she hadn't realised that she would be that effected by it.  
  
"Fred, are you alright?"  
  
"Yes fine. I think I've done all I can to clean this wound up." She put the now damp piece of cloth on the floor and inspected her work. It looked a little better although she wished she had a bandage.  
  
"I left her you know. The girl, I left her." He had obviously noticed her face.  
  
She nodded at him as if not caring. He pulled her closer and kissed her gently. She was a little surprised but soon found that she was kissing him back. They held each other tightly both pleased to have something else to think about than just the cell they were in.  
  
**  
  
In a room in Orthanc Saruman was watching them through some form of magic. He had listened to their conversation. Much to his surprise Fred had given nothing away even when talking to someone she apparently trusted.  
  
An Orc came and stood next to him and looked over his shoulder at David and Fred.  
  
"I will stop them at once master." The Orc said turning to leave.  
  
"No. Let them have their fun, it will al be over soon. And no more rations for them, I think they've had enough."  
  
The Orc nodded and turned towards his colleagues. Saruman smiled. It was only a matter of time before he found out what he wanted to know. The girl couldn't keep quiet forever. 


	25. escape and capture

Disclaimer: I can imagine owning them, you can probably imagine me owning them but if I did own them I wouldn't have to imagine them. Is that too simple?  
  
Ch 25 Escape and capture  
  
Fred leaned her back against David, she was beginning to feel like she was going to be alright although there was still a feeling of dread every time an Orc came in and took her to the torture room. She didn't know why but she hadn't been as affected by the torture over the past few hours, maybe she was just getting immune to it or no longer cared about what happened to her. She felt safe with David and was actually pleased whenever they threw her back into the cell.  
  
Saruman no longer terrified her as he had done before but she still hated it when she had to look into those dark and stormy eyes. David had explained that he had felt the same way for some time. Although he had never really been pressured into looking at Saruman. He found that the Wizard had no time for him any more. It was fine with him; he had no desire to come face to face with such a powerful man. In truth he didn't know how Fred could do it and not tell him everything he wanted to know. He didn't know whether to ask her about it or not mention it. He knew from experience that torture was not something you openly discussed. Mostly because other people didn't want to hear about what might happen to them.  
  
Fred could tell that there was something wrong with David. She sat up and turned to face him, ever since their kiss earlier that day they had grown closer and could almost read each other's thoughts.  
  
"Is something wrong? Apart from the obvious I mean."  
  
"No nothing. I was just thinking."  
  
"I haven't been here long but I've discovered that doing too much thinking, especially remembering is bad for you."  
  
"You are right, of course." He almost laughed at her knowledge and advice. She had been here only a few days and already she had begun to understand the workings of the prison.  
  
"Were you thinking about anything in particular or just general stuff that you don't want to tell me about?"  
  
"Mostly general 'stuff'. I was thinking about you."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Why do you find that so surprising?"  
  
"I just didn't know you would think about me."  
  
He laughed once again and leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. "I was just thinking how brave you were. I mean you don't deserve to be here and yet you never complain. I admire it."  
  
"Admire? Wow. I'm not the only one that's suffering you know, you have been here longer than me and have probably been through more than me. I mean the worst thing that has happened to me was the eye thing. Come on what's the worst that's happened to you?" She instantly regretted saying this when she looked at David's face. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you." She apologised.  
  
"It is alright. You have been honest with me and now it's my turn. The worst thing that has happened to me." He pretended to be thinking but she knew he was deciding whether he should tell her or not. "It happened when I first came here. One of the Orcs, who I later killed by the way, strung me up outside the tower for a few hours. It didn't seem too bad at the time, quite painless really. Then he came back and whipped me. Time and time again. He left me for two days out in the freezing cold and came back and whipped me again and repeated the whole thing for almost two weeks.  
  
"Two weeks without food or water, apart from the rain, and him whipping me every two days. That was the worst thing that has happened to me. When he finally released me I could hardly stand up and when I did it hurt so much that I fell back down.  
  
"I went back to my cell and cried in the corner for days and waited for the pain to leave, I learned to ignore it after a while. I ate their poor excuse for food and gained enough strength to try and escape but unfortunately it didn't work, obviously."  
  
Fred didn't know what to say. She had never seen him be so honest before and she almost wished that he hadn't told her everything, now this man who she had thought to be strong and brave was actually just as scared as she was.  
  
"That's not what you wanted to hear was it?" He asked pulling her close.  
  
"I just.I didn't know."  
  
"How could you? What about you? I told you everything about my first session. What about yours? Now we're telling secrets."  
  
"The first day I realised I was here I was too terrified to do anything. I curled up in the corner and tried to push the terrible things out of my mind. I was in a cell smaller than this one with skeletons all around it. I had never seen anything like it before and I was a little overwhelmed. So I did nothing and tried to pretend that I wasn't really here. I wish I could do that now.  
  
"The first torture I got was an Orc delivering my food. It was poisoned and had some kind of drug in it that made me see terrible things. I can't remember many of them now but I remember being too scared to move. When I woke up they were gone but I was faced with Saruman. That's when I saw you for the first time, with the pokers." She smiled.  
  
"You didn't have to do that you know. I was trying to help you."  
  
"I couldn't let you suffer could I? Besides you didn't deserve it and shouldn't have offered either. You don't see me messing around with your torture do you?" She smiled and he couldn't help but laugh at her attempt at humour.  
  
He hugged her tighter and thought about what she might have looked like so scared. He couldn't imagine what seeing all those things was like, he had never experience it himself but he guessed it was pretty bad. He was sure that Fred did remember what she had seen but he couldn't blame her for not wanting to mention it.  
  
"How is your eye?" He asked trying to break the uneasy silence that no lingered between them.  
  
"It is better. It still hurts. But it is all beginning to blend together now." She smiled at him letting him know that she didn't mind talking about it.  
  
He nodded at her and began stroking her hair. He felt her tense when she heard a sound, something many of the prisoners did not matter how long they had been there.  
  
"What? Is something wrong?" He asked as she sat up.  
  
"Someone's coming." She said simply and stood up as if it would offer her some kind of protection. "Now's our chance." David didn't know what this meant and he didn't have time to ask because the Orc came storming in mumbling something in his evil tongue.  
  
The Orc placed some water on the floor in a small metal tin and a tin of what could be described as food. Fred stood near the door and David realised that she was getting closer and closer and suddenly he understood what she was doing. He couldn't believe she was actually going to try it after all his failed attempts but before he could do anything she had slammed the door shut but left a small gap so she could open it again easily. The Orc swung round just in time to see her do it and while his attention was off David the strong man was on his back and had him on the floor.  
  
David punched him repeatedly in the face until the Orc began to lose consciousness.  
  
"Wait." Fred shouted. David instantly stopped although he didn't know why. "Keys." Fred said simply.  
  
"Where are the keys?" He shouted at the semi-conscious Orc. He knew they didn't have time to stay too long.  
  
The Orc didn't waste much time in handing over the keys to David who was still on top of him holding him down. David snatched the keys and knocked the Orc out before he could make any noise.  
  
Fred opened the door a little more when David was at her side. She looked out to find the coast was clear. She saw that there was nothing in the corridor and opened the door a little further. Before she could run out she felt David gently but firmly grab her arm and pull her back slightly.  
  
"This is crazy you know." David said in a hushed voice.  
  
"I know. We have to try. I am not just going to sit here and wait for something to happen. Your attempts might have failed but mine won't. Are you coming or not?" She said having very little patience. He nodded and walked out into the corridor with her.  
  
She ran through as if not concerned about whether she ran into any Orcs or not but he was sure she knew something that he didn't otherwise she wouldn't be so confident. He followed close behind her and tried not to make any noise. She turned around and smiled at his effort.  
  
"Don't worry. Orcs don't come down here unless they absolutely have to and even then it's only slaves, they wouldn't be too strong. I'd save your stealth techniques for when we get closer to the exit." He smiled at her and relaxed slightly.  
  
They walked through the corridors and from the confidence Fred walked with he guessed she had been down here before although he decided it best not to question her, she seemed to be enjoying her freedom but he had been like that once and gotten caught. He hoped that wouldn't happen this time, he didn't want to see her get hurt plus the thought of being outside Orthanc for the first time in years rather appealed to him.  
  
Fred opened a large door with one of the keys from the big chain she had got from the Orc that was lying unconscious in their cell. She turned the key in the lock and confidently opened the door. When she did she wished she hadn't been so confident and been a little more cautious when opening the door. On the other side of the door there were a gang of Orcs beating up a man who had chains tied to his legs and rope around his body making sure his arms couldn't move. Fred stood frozen for a minute, as did the Orcs on the other side. The man they were beating also looked up and stared at them for a brief second there was a hint of anger on his face.  
  
Fred suddenly snapped into action and pulled the door shut just as the Orcs leaped towards her. She heard them slam against the door and try and break it down. She quickly relocked the door and ran out of the way. She didn't want to be anywhere near them when they finally broke through. She was no longer relaxed and she ran as fast as she could. David kept up with her as they raced through corridors and down steps.  
  
After what seemed an eternity Fred and David came to the ground floor of the tower, surprisingly there were no Orcs waiting for them but neither had time to think about it, they ran through the small hall and towards the door. David was becoming more and more nervous; he didn't like the fact that Orthanc was so deserted. There was something very wrong, he wanted to warn Fred but he was too out of breath.  
  
Fred rushed through the door she knew led to the outside. She was quickly followed by David. Both of them stopped suddenly when they saw what awaited them. There were Orcs, hundreds of Orcs. They were all lined up and dressed in battle gear; they were obviously waiting for Fred and David. They couldn't believe it, they had been so close, they had set foot out of Orthanc. They knew there was no way they could escape now so they put their hands on their heads and waited for something to happen.  
  
Saruman walked up the never-ending steps and stood in front of them.  
  
"Do you like your welcoming party?" He said slyly.  
  
Fred had to use all her will power not to hit out at him; she knew she would be dead before she could do anything. She said nothing and Saruman signalled for one of the Orcs standing close by to take them away.  
  
"Take her to the courtyard and leave her there for a few hours out in the freezing rain, we'll see if she tried to escape again. As for him.take him back to the dungeon, he is no use to me."  
  
"No." David screamed. He wanted to help Fred but there was nothing he could do. Saruman smiled evilly at him knowing exactly what to do to upset the man. He would hurt what he loved most in the prison, Fred. He didn't want to have to hurt her, secretly he wanted her for himself but knew she had a greater purpose. It hadn't surprised him when they had tried to escape. It was just one more failed escape attempt to add to David's list.  
  
He signalled to his guards to garb David but they didn't take him anywhere. The held him tightly so he had to watch what was going to happen to Fred.  
  
"You remember how this works, don't you David? I tie her up and whip her. It is an old but effective punishment."  
  
"You still need her. You're not going to hurt her."  
  
"Do you think she needs to be able to walk to talk to me? How foolish." He smiled.  
  
The two Orcs that had been holding Fred dragged her to a strange looking wooden contraption. She didn't know what it was called but she remembered what it was used for. David had described it earlier and now she regretted asking about it. She knew they were going to torture her but she didn't know what they wanted. She tried to struggle but she knew there was no way she could escape with half of Saruman's army watching her. There would be no point.  
  
The Orcs tied her to the wooden torture block and stood back awaiting their master's orders.  
  
"Tell me Fred did you really think you could escape?" He laughed and it sent a wave of nausea through her. She hadn't realised she would be punished like this if they got caught. She wondered what they would do to David. She hoped they wouldn't do this again he had said that it was the worst thing that had ever happened to him during his stay.  
  
Saruman nodded and an Orc came forward and looked Fred in the eye. She didn't return the glare, she was too concerned about the long whip he was holding in his hands and showing off to her. He unfolded the whip and laid it out in front of him and whipped the ground showing off what he was capable of doing.  
  
He then turned away and walked behind her. She felt so nervous, she didn't know what it would feel like but she guessed it would be more painful than losing her eye. She hoped it would be over quickly and they wouldn't do the same as they had done with David. Just as she thought that maybe Saruman had changed his mind and was not going to hurt her she heard the crack of the whip from behind her and a split second later she felt the burning sensation running along her back. She couldn't believe how painful it was. She was forced to scream out loud hoping it would relieve some of the intense pain that surged through her body.  
  
Before she had time to think about what was happening the noise came again and once more the burning hit her back. This happened again and again until she could no longer stand up straight. She leaned down on the ropes that were holding her upright and tried to think about other things. It was impossible. After about twenty hits of the whip it finally stopped. She looked up at the sky and found that it was black; it was either because she had been there so long that it was getting dark or she was fading into unconsciousness. She hoped it was the latter; she didn't want to be awake to suffer any more.  
  
As she fell asleep she felt someone letting her down and slinging her over their shoulder. The motion of movement allowed her to fall into a dark place that she both loved and hated.  
  
Saruman watched the whipping with a smile on his face, he loved to see people suffer but to hear Fred scream like that was the best thing he had ever heard. She had been trying so hard to be brave no matter what happened to her but he had finally gotten past that and he was so pleased that he got a little carried away with the whipping. The fact that David was shouting at him to stop hurting her only encouraged him to do it more. Making two people suffer at the same time was a bonus.  
  
When he saw that Fred could no longer stand up he called off the huge Orc that was whipping her and instructed one of his Orcs to take her back to the cell where she would be chained against the wall. He wanted to make her suffer.  
  
"And not for you David." He said when Fred was back inside the tower. "What can I do to make you suffer? It is a very grave offence trying to escape."  
  
"There is nothing you could do to me that I haven't already suffered." He spat back.  
  
Saruman smiled but said nothing. He turned away and the Orc led David back into the tower. He didn't understand what was happening. He had thought that Saruman had wanted to teach him a lesson but no punishment came. Perhaps he had done enough to Fred to redeem them both. This was not a comfort to David and he didn't like the thought that Fred had taken both her punishment and his.  
  
When they reached the cell the Orc hit him hard in the stomach, he doubled over and the Orc kicked him into the cell. For a minute David didn't move. He couldn't move. When he did he looked up and found an unconscious Fred chained to the wall. She looked awful, for the first time he noticed that she looked like she had been tortured, something she had managed to hide well over the past few days.  
  
David wanted to help her, to get her down from the chains and at least make her more comfortable but he knew there was no way he could break the chains. He decided that he had to do something for her, even just holding her hand might help. He went to move forward but he was stopped by something holding him back. For the first time he realised that he had a chain on his foot stopping him from getting too close to Fred.  
  
He hadn't realised that the Orc had put it on him but he was so confused and angry about what they did to Fred that he hadn't noticed much. He realised that this was his torture. Being so close to someone he loved but not being able to help them. All he wanted to do was to get her out of those chains.  
  
He just realised what he had said. "Love." He hadn't realised he had loved her but now he thought it, it made sense to him. He hadn't known her for long and they came from two different worlds, literally, and yet he was in love with her. He couldn't understand it. He had met many women both in the prison and on the outside but he had never felt like this before. His confession of love made it even harder to not be able to help her. He reached out his hand hoping at least be able to touch her but found that he was still a few inches too far away.  
  
Fred didn't stir even when he called her name. He decided that there was nothing he could do so it would be best just to leave her; after all she was probably peaceful where she was. He didn't know how wrong he was. Fred was far from peaceful. Awful images came back to her and haunted her dreams. She could sense David close by but could not reach him. This was a new and terrifying form of torture for her. 


	26. arrival

Disclaimer: I wish I owned them but I don't so I have to write about them instead. I do own the characters Fred, Bob, Ned and David and a few Orcs but not the Fellowship or anything from LOTR. So sad.  
  
Ch 26 Arrival  
  
Bob was walking through the woods closely followed by Ned and the two Hobbits. All of them new what was going to happen and they were all getting more and more anxious about it. They had been walking around for a few hours and they had not come across a Ring Wraith yet, Bob was starting to wonder if her plan would work. Before they left to find a Wraith to kidnap Bob they had discussed what was going to happen. Bob was going to Isengard to rescue Fred. Ned was going to stay hidden whilst the snatch was going on and then she was going to wait where she was and try and stay out of the way of the Wraiths. When Bob had completed her mission she would come back to that same place and hopefully take Ned and Fred home.  
  
Another of Bob's aims for her 'trip' to Middle Earth was to break the spell somehow although she had no figured out how she was going to do that and she was sure that it wouldn't be easy. She tried to reassure herself that Fred would know something about the spell and hopefully help her break it.  
  
Unfortunately no one had any idea what Bob would be faced with when she reached Middle Earth and she had no real plan for getting Fred out of Orthanc. One thing that Bob knew for certain was that Fred was alive, only just, but she was still alive and Bob knew she had to help her. The thought of her friend being locked up in some cell with no one to keep her company or help her made Bob even more determined to carry out her mission.  
  
They walked for some time without talking when Ned stopped suddenly. Bob too stopped when she realised Ned was no longer following her.  
  
"Bob. I can feel something. I can't explain it; I think it might be Fred. She's in pain; they're doing such awful things to her. Make them stop." Ned seemed to be in a dream world but Bob could tell that what she was feeling or seeing was frightening her.  
  
"Is Fred still alive?" Bob asked, panic evident in her voice.  
  
There was silence whilst Ned tried to figure out the answer to the question. "Yes. But she is fading. They're torturing her and they won't let her go. She's trying to be brave but she doesn't know how long she can keep it up. Bob we have to move fast."  
  
Ned stood up straight, her head hurt. She was certain that what she saw was real, she guessed that Bob had seen the same things earlier on and she suddenly regretted not believing that they were as bad as Bob claimed they were. She shook her head to try and rid it of the awful images that remained there.  
  
"Do you want to sit down and rest for a while?" Bob asked sympathetically knowing what Ned was going through.  
  
"No. We have to keep going." Ned said walking in front of Bob. Bob said nothing but followed Ned through the trees.  
  
After what seemed like hours of walking they finally heard something in the bushes, they couldn't see what was making the noise but they knew that it was a Wraith. They crouched low so as not to be caught too quickly.  
  
"Are you ready?" Ned whispered.  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be." Bob said. Ned could detect the fear in Bob's voice and she didn't blame her, being carried to another world by a Wraith must have been terrifying. She wished she could go instead and save Bob the trouble but she knew that there was no way she could fight Orcs.  
  
"Do you know what to do? Remember stay out of everyone's way and do as you're told. Do not challenge Saruman and don't tell him anything about the Ring. Don't tell him where you're from and don't mention Fred's name. Remember he'll probably try and hurt you but no matter what happens don not mention Frodo or where he is. Understand? Your main priority is to find Fred and get out of there. Don't trust anyone, especially not the Orcs. As soon as you find Fred get out of there, and try and find a way of breaking the spell. Bob. Please be careful. Fred needs you but try not to get yourself killed.  
  
"The cells should be near the top of the tower, Saruman should put you up there anyway. It won't be nice but just ignore everything else and remember why you are there."  
  
Bob nodded every so often knowing that they had already been through this but she was pleased that Ned was reminding her of what she had to do. She just hoped she could remember it all.  
  
"Bob, you have to hurry, Fred is not doing so well anymore and she needs your help but if you get into trouble and you can escape do it. Don't do anything stupid otherwise you're no help to anyone."  
  
"You don't think I'll fail do you?" Bob asked.  
  
"No. I don't think you'll fail. Please come back alive."  
  
Bob nodded and turned to the Hobbits. She didn't say anything but they knew what she was thinking.  
  
"Thank you for risking so much to help us. We can never repay you. Good luck in finding your friend and try not to get killed."  
  
Bob smiled at them. "Good luck to you too. I have a feeling you're going to need it. And Frodo, don't trust anyone with the Ring. There are traitors all around you, even where you least expect it." Bob kissed Frodo and Sam on the cheek and turned back to Ned.  
  
"I'll see you when you get back." Ned said.  
  
Bob nodded and looked back to the Ring Wraith who was trying to work out where the smell of human came from. It was turning its head from side to side. Bob knew that she had to go now before it figured out where they were and they were all prisoners.  
  
"Goodbye." Bob said trying not to cry.  
  
"Goodbye." They all replied at once.  
  
Before Bob could leave Ned grabbed her and gave her something. Bob looked at it and realised that it was Ned's penknife. She nodded her thank you. She was sure it would come in handy in a place as dangerous as Isengard. She hoped it would be enough.  
  
Bob looked back to the Wraith and took a deep breath in preparation for what she was about to do. She had never been so scared but also had never been so determined to do the thing that would save her best friend. She took one last look back at the Hobbits and walked out of the trees.  
  
She went cautiously at first but soon sped up into a fast walk. She hadn't realised the Wraith would be so terrifying, no wonder everyone in the movie hated them. It towered above her and she imagined what it would look like for a small Hobbit to come across one of these. She held her head high and strolled towards the Wraith, she wanted to shout at it and somehow get its attention, at least that would make it faster. Suddenly she realised how stupid her plan had been and she wished she could turn back.  
  
Before she could even think about this the Wraith turned around. It had seen her. There was no going back now. She stopped suddenly no longer being able to control her legs, she wanted to run away form it but she forced herself to stay. This would have looked so stupid, a young girl who knew nothing about Orthanc or battle or anything else standing in front of a Ring Wraith waiting for it to take her to a tower she knew nothing about to help a person who could already be dead.  
  
It sounded crazy when she had first thought of the idea but now she was actually doing it she knew that it was a big mistake. Bob didn't know anything about rescue or fighting. As close as she had come to escaping from prison was watching 'Escape from Alcatraz'. She knew that what she was doing was insane and she regretted ever coming up with the idea.  
  
The Wraith came rushing towards her on his great black horse, she wanted to run away from the terrifying creature but she knew there was no way she could escape now. So she waited and eventually managed to stand up straight and wait until the Wraith came and grabbed her.  
  
It swept past her and picked her roughly up by the neck. She could breathe and she tried to claw at its hand but nothing happened. It was so strong. She felt all the air draining from her body, she wondered how long she could survive without air. It was so cold with the Wraith. Almost like she had been thrown into a freezer she felt a chill run through her body and she felt like she was going to fall into darkness. Just as she thought this the Wraith pulled her up and swung her in front of him onto his horse. It was only them that she realised that they were no longer on the ground but somewhere above the Earth.  
  
Bob imagined how scared Fred would have been at this, it was no secret that Fred was terrified of heights and this must have been hell for her, if she was conscious through the journey. If she wasn't Bob felt like she was the lucky one.  
  
She closed her eyes against the wind that was whipping at her face, she hoped it wouldn't take them long to get to Isengard, she didn't want to be up there for too long. It was so uncomfortable on the horse she could also fell the Wraith's strong hand gripping her waist keeping her form falling off. Not that it matter much she was clinging on so tightly there was little hope of her falling off. The grip was a little too tight though; it was almost cutting off her circulation.  
  
She wanted to be on the ground, somewhere safe, somewhere the Wraith's weren't but there was no turning back now. All she could think about was what was going to happen to her when she finally reached Isengard, if that was where they were going. What if it was taking her back to its true master Sauron? She would have no hope of survival if that happened.  
  
Bob tried to concentrate on what she was meant to be doing, he mission was to find Fred and get her out of there. She had tried to prepare herself before all of this happened but she now realised that nothing she did could possibly prepare her for any of this. For a second she wondered if her friend was really worth all this but she quickly regretted thinking it and put it out of her mind. How could she think that? Bob felt herself crying both out of fear and of frustration. If only she had planned this better she might have been more prepared.  
  
She summoned up the courage to look down but instantly wished she hadn't, all she could see was a thick grey mist and she wasn't sure what it was. She wondered where they were. They could have either been in Middle Earth or on Earth but there was no way she could know. At least she would find out soon enough. It was only a matter of time before they reached their destination. All she had to do was wait, she only wished that the wait wouldn't be long. She just wanted to get this over and done with and she didn't like not knowing where she was or when she's get to Isengard.  
  
**  
  
In Orthanc Fred finally woke up, the first thing she saw was David asleep on the floor. He was tied to something but she couldn't see what. It was unusually dark in the cell, although that could have been her imagination. She shifted her position slightly to get a batter look at David and as soon as she did she felt a sharp burning pain shoot down her back. She couldn't stop herself from gasping from the new pain. Suddenly she remembered what had happened. They had been so close to escaping and had been stopped when they had walked out the front door. She wondered what they had done to David.  
  
Fred forced herself to move even though she was in pain. She looked over at David who was sleeping, she could see the gentle and regular rise and fall of his chest, that made her feel better at least he wasn't dead. She didn't want to think what they'd done to him, she wondered if he was in as much pain as she was. His breathing was steady though which probably meant that he wasn't seriously hurt. She hoped not. If he was it would be all her fault, she was the one who had persuaded him to come after all, he had disagreed. She now wished she had listened to him. She heard a whimper escape her lips. She wanted to get out of these chains they were making the pain worse.  
  
Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her head. She tried to shake it off but soon it became so intense that she couldn't get rid of it, she didn't remembered eating any poisoned food like before and she certainly hadn't taken anything. She saw a flash of light and a faded image of a Ring Wraith; she didn't understand it all she felt was a great fear. It was so clear although the images were blurred the feeling was strong. Too strong. She heard herself cry out but she wasn't aware that David had heard it and was pulling desperately on his chains to try and get closer to her.  
  
The images left as suddenly as they had arrived. The cell came back into focus and she felt herself lean into the chains that were holding her up, this just made the pain on her back worse and she wished she could make it go away. David had reached across and grabbed her hand for support. She gripped it and tried to regain her balance.  
  
"Are you alright?" David asked, his voice was full of concern.  
  
"I.I don't know what happened. I saw something. I can't explain it. I saw a Ring Wraith and I felt fear, really strong fear."  
  
"I'm not surprised, you were quite badly hurt."  
  
"No, it wasn't my fear it was someone else's and I don't know whose. Am I going mad?"  
  
"Quite possibly." David said jokily.  
  
Fred smiled at him and finally managed to stand up straight and stop the chains hurting her more. She looked at David who didn't appear to be hurt at all apart from a small cut on his head. There was a little blood but nothing to be too worried about. Fred wondered what had caused it but before she could ask she was interrupted by David saying something.  
  
"Are you okay? I wish I could do something to help you but this chain seems pretty solid."  
  
"I know the feeling, these chains aren't comfortable either. It is not nice when you can't take your back off the wall. But I guess you know that."  
  
David laughed but said nothing.  
  
Fred continued, "David, I'm so sorry. I really thought we could get out of here and all I did was get us into even more trouble. I should have listened to you."  
  
"Don't worry about it. People always try to escape from this place and very few actually do. I did exactly the same thing when I first came here and I got pretty much the same treatment as you."  
  
"But you didn't drag your cellmate along with you did you?"  
  
"Actually yes I did and he got the same treatment as me. Unfortunately he wasn't strong enough to stand the punishment. He died because I had forced him to escape with me. It was my fault. But luckily I'm not dead. Or tortured any more than usual."  
  
"But still, you wouldn't be chained up if it wasn't for me."  
  
"Do you really think that I haven't been chained up before? I'm glad we tried to escape, we got so close and if it hadn't been for the Orcs behind that door we would probably have gotten away with it. I don't blame you for wanting to escape. You saw a chance and took it, it is more than some people would do."  
  
"Yeah and look what happened." Fred laughed. She instantly regretted it when it sent a wave of pain through her body.  
  
David held her hand tighter as she tried to make it go away. "We'll be alright. I know we will." He smiled at her and she felt almost comfortable despite the pain.  
  
The mystery of whom she saw earlier on was almost gone and she no longer cared what she saw. She just hoped that whoever it was was all right and was not coming to Orthanc. Right now all she could think about was the aching in her arms and how uncomfortable the chains were. She wished her back wasn't pressed up against the wall; it was just making the painful wounds worse.  
  
Fred wondered if David was really alright about what she had done. She decided to make sure that he was alright as well. After all it was something she needed to do if she was going to feel better about what she had done.  
  
"Did they hurt you?" She asked pointing at the cut on his forehead.  
  
"No, when they threw me in the cell I banged my head on the floor but its nothing. It doesn't even hurt."  
  
"You know head wounds can be dangerous. Are you sure you didn't black out?"  
  
"I am sure. You should worry about yourself rather than me. They seemed to be content in me watching you suffer. I must admit it was the worst torture I've suffered so far." He smiled at the surprise on Fred's face. "Don't look so surprised. I love you." This made Fred even more surprised. She knew they had feelings for each other but love, she hadn't expected that.  
  
"I.I didn't know you felt that way."  
  
"Of course. Don't you?" David asked, suddenly concerned that she didn't feel the same way.  
  
"Yes. I just hadn't thought of it before. I didn't know you."  
  
"Well I do." They smiled at each other and David bent down and kissed her hand.  
  
**  
  
Bob had been with the Wraith for so long that she couldn't remember when she left, she was sure she hadn't been gone too long but it still felt like a long time. The Wraith hadn't loosened its grip at all since they had started. She wondered how much longer they would be travelling. This must have terrified Fred even more than her, she knew her friend was terrified of heights and she had never flown before especially not on a flying horse with a Ring Wraith. Now that she thought about that it sounded very funny only she was in no mood to laugh.  
  
Just as she thought the journey would never end she felt herself going down. It was a strange sensation and one that she would never be able to describe to anyone who asked. She braced herself for the landing but was distracted by the sight that met her when they emerged from the grey mist. It was a huge tower, far bigger than she expected. Even from a height she could see that it was very threatening and could understand why someone would be scared to see it. She could see the grey bare ground that covered it and there seemed to be no signs of life below. It looked empty. And deserted but the thought that Fred was so close to her willed her to remember why she was doing all this.  
  
She felt almost excited at the thought of seeing her friend again she was also pleased to find that she could feel her friend close by and she was not dead, in fact at the moment she seemed almost happy. In pain still but no longer quite as scared.  
  
The downward movement reminded her that they still had to land. The horse swept down quickly and landed heavily on the dull ground. Bob felt the small jerk as she realised they had landed. She was just beginning to realise what she was doing and everything she had planned was coming into effect. She was frightened at what she might find but also optimistic that it would all work out. She tried not to think about what had happened to her friend and what may happen to her, her main priority was to get them out of there and break the spell. Then everything would go back to normal and they would go back to their chemistry and English lessons.  
  
Bob couldn't believe it, she was in Middle Earth, one of the scariest parts of Middle Earth but still this was a dream come true for her even though she knew she was probably going to die very soon.  
  
The Wraith jumped off the horse with Bob still in his arms. She held on tightly as it carried her up the never-ending steps of Orthanc. He strode purposefully up them knowing that Saruman was expecting them and not caring whether her hurt Bob or not.  
  
Bob didn't get the same welcome as Fred, Saruman was not waiting for her outside the tower, he was far more interested in other things and did not have time to greet one more prisoner. However, the Orcs that followed Saruman did. They met the Wraith and Bob. It dropped her roughly on the ground banging her arm against the hard stone floor. The Orcs roughly picked her up as the Wraith walked away. Bob was inside Orthanc and it wasn't quite the arrival she was expecting but that didn't matter, she knew it was only a matter of time before they took her to the cells. Then her plan would work. She smiled to herself as she was pushed down the corridor towards Saruman's room.  
  
In truth she had no idea what she was getting herself into but it was guaranteed that she would regret what she was doing. 


	27. realisation

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters created by the master, although I often wish I did.  
  
A/N I hope you enjoy the chapter and please review.  
  
Ch 27 Realisation  
  
Fred and David were talking quietly about things they had done in the past, Fred was trying as best she could to stop the terrible pain that wouldn't leave her alone. She wanted it to stop but knew there was nothing anyone could do about it until the Orcs let her down. David was trying to keep her mind off it but it wasn't working all that well as every time he made her laugh with one of his stories she felt that familiar pain again.  
  
She was also beginning to feel that exhaustion seeping through her again and longed to lie down on the bed. She had gotten very little sleep over the past few days and her recent torture had made sleep completely impossible. She tried to fight the feeling but every so often felt herself leaning more and more on the chains that held her up.  
  
Time seemed to go so slowly in the cell, she didn't know how long she'd been there although it felt like an eternity. She had tried to work it out in her head once but couldn't remember how to do it. It was frustrating that she couldn't work it out but secretly she wasn't sure she wanted to know, after all she knew she had been there for a long time and she didn't want to think how long she had been away from her family and friends.  
  
David was watching Fred as she leaned down on the chains. He wanted to help her so much but he was just out of her reach, he wished there was something he could say to make her feel better or at least make her more comfortable but it seemed like no matter what he did it made things worse. It was so unfair that someone so young should be suffering so much.  
  
David watched her as she nearly fell asleep.  
  
"Fred." He said loudly so as to wake her up. "Fred, I know you're tired but you should try and stand straight, it'll help the wounds heal and you won't feel as much pain. I know from experience that it will only make things worse."  
  
Fred woke up and stood straight as instructed.  
  
"It's all very well for you to say. Do you know how long I've been up here?"  
  
"I know it's a long time but."  
  
"But what? What did you do when you were tied up?"  
  
"I can't remember. I'm sorry Fred."  
  
"No, it was my own fault, I was the one that convinced you to escape, you tried to warm me but I didn't listen. I'm just tired. And sick and tired of being chained to this damn wall."  
  
David nodded understandingly. He knew that Fred didn't like not being able to move and he wished he could help her more than holding her hand and giving her instructions on how to make herself feel better.  
  
"Are you sure you're alright? You've been on that floor for a while."  
  
"I'm better than you." David smiled. Fred laughed. "Besides the only thing that is torture to me right now is not being able to help you."  
  
"It's hardly your fault. You can't break that chain and I can't get free. This is a great date." She smiled.  
  
"Date?"  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I was just making conversation."  
  
"You want to go on a date if we ever get out of here?"  
  
"Sure why not?"  
  
David smiled sweetly at her; she was the first person he actually wanted to be in a cell with, all the rest of the prisoners he had been put with were either drunk most of the time or complete idiots that wouldn't leave him alone.  
  
"What? You had that funny look on your face."  
  
"What funny look? There was no funny look."  
  
"Trust me there was a funny look. I know that look when I see it."  
  
"Trust you?" David instantly regretted saying this and carried on, "I was thinking about you. How you're the first cellmate I've actually enjoyed spending time with."  
  
Fred was a little shocked by this, the fact that he liked spending time with cellmates was enough but that he really did like her was a little shocking.  
  
David looked at her for a while as if he was trying to read her mind; he looked away suddenly when he heard voices outside the cell. He sat up and tried to listen to what they were saying. It made no sense to him but guessed it had something to do with Fred as he was sure he had heard her name being mentioned. The door was suddenly opened causing David to fall onto his stomach and try and crawl out of the way before the Orc entering the room could stand on him.  
  
At the sight of the huge Orc coming in and David falling to the floor Fred leaned further back into the wall trying to ignore the burning pain on her back. She tried to get free but she couldn't. The Orc came closer and she closed her eyes not wanting to see what he was going to do to her. She didn't feel anything and she slowly opened her eyes and adjusted her head so she could see what was happening out of her good eye. She tried to focus on the Orc and when she did she saw that he was unchaining her although keeping the chains around her ankles and her hands she was no longer tied to the wall. She resisted the urge to fall the floor and go to sleep and stood up straight.  
  
The Orc sneered at her and pulled roughly on the chain forcing her to fall forwards into him. The Orc stood her up and once again pulled on the chain forcing her to move forwards. The Orc rushed her out of the door where she was joined by another two of the foul creatures. She looked back at David who was now sat up trying to get his chains off but when he realised there was no hope he looked directly at Fred with a look of regret on his face.  
  
"David." Fred whispered. David moved closer to the door but an Orc put out his foot and kicked the man back into the cell.  
  
Fred moved towards the door but the Orc closed it before she had a chance to check that David was all right.  
  
She was roughly pushed and pulled along the long corridor that she knew too well. She knew exactly where they were taking her. To Saruman's room and usually bad things happened there so she tried to brace herself for what was coming.  
  
**  
  
Bob was taken into the room where Saruman always stayed. She was left alone in the room when the Orcs walked back out of the door. She didn't understand what was going on or where she was. She guessed they would take her straight to Saruman; this was exactly what she had wanted to happen. There she could find out if Fred was alive and everything would work out. Still there was a doubt in her mind, she couldn't help but think that maybe she was still making a mistake and that her plan wouldn't work.  
  
She wondered whether Fred had stood in this room when she had first arrived. Bob looked around hoping to find some sign that someone was here, she couldn't see anyone but she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. Suddenly the door swung open and she was faced with a tall being dressed in white. He was as terrifying as she had imagined.  
  
"Welcome to Orthanc. Roberta."  
  
Bob was completely surprised that the White Wizard knew her name, her real name. Maybe Fred had told him but that didn't seem likely, if she told him that then she would have told him about the Ring and she wouldn't have been tortured and Bob certainly wouldn't be standing there.  
  
"How.?"  
  
"I know a lot about you. Bob. That is what you like to be called is it not? Your friend has told me so much about you." He towered over her making her feel inferior to her but also filling her with dread. He seemed to know an awful lot about her and that was not a good sign. She wondered if Fred had really told him about her, she very much doubted it, Fred would have been too stubborn to help them.  
  
"You seem a little surprised to be here Bob. Did you really think you could hide from us forever, and now I have someone else to torture the truth out of. Your friend wasn't very helpful and she held on even though I had great fun watching her and her boyfriend suffer."  
  
Bob didn't understand what he meant but she knew she had to say something.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Come now, you can't hide anything from me. I know you know where the Ring bearer is so you should just tell me and I won't hurt you the way I hurt your friend."  
  
"Ring bearer? I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"Don't lie to me. Don't think I can't hurt you, perhaps you should ask your friend just how hard it is to keep things quiet when you're being tortured." Saruman sneered.  
  
At that moment the door swung open and a gang of Orcs strode through, they walked purposefully towards Saruman carrying something. A poker. A red-hot poker. Bob gasped.  
  
"Oh don't worry, this isn't for you." He smiled.  
  
Bob looked at him confused. Her confusion dissipated when she saw another, smaller group of Orcs coming through the door. They were pulling Fred behind them. She was chained up and looked as though she had been through hell.  
  
"Welcome Fred. I hope we didn't disturb your sleep. We have someone who insists on seeing you. Fred you remember Bob."  
  
At this Fred looked up completely shocked. It was true Bob was standing in front of her, she was still suspicious though, she remembered the ghosts Saruman had shown her, he could make people see things. Even though she wasn't sure that what she was seeing was real she decided that it was better than nothing and tried to run forward. The Orc holding her pulled her back and stopped her suddenly making her cry out in pain.  
  
Bob couldn't believe what they had done to Fred. She was obviously in pain and her face was caked in blood, both fresh and dry. She had one of her eyes closed but Bob didn't need to question why, she remembered what she had seen in her vision. It was hard to believe that it was really her friend stood in front of her, she looked completely different. In fact Fred was almost unrecognisable.  
  
Bob noticed the chains around her ankles and hands and cringed when she saw the marks that ran from her back to her sides. She guessed they were from whipping but decided not to think about it. When Fred tried to move towards her friend she was roughly pulled back causing her to cry out and causing Bob to run towards her. An Orc reached out to grab her but Saruman waved him off.  
  
As Bob reached Fred Saruman signalled for the Orcs holding Fred to drop her, they did let her go and she fell to the floor at the sudden shock of being free. Bob dropped to her knees and knelt beside Fred who was struggling to get up. Bob could see that she was terribly wounded now and reached out and touched her shoulder. She felt Fred flinch but she did not move away.  
  
Fred lifted her head and looked at Bob who was looking at her with concern. Bob didn't know what to say and Fred didn't wait for her to speak. Fred threw her arms around Bob and held her tightly ignoring the pain that threatened to throw her into unconsciousness. Bob responded in a shocked way at the sudden trust Fred had placed in her.  
  
She returned the embrace holding her friend tightly but not so tightly as to hurt her, she didn't want to make Fred feel any worse than she was already if that was at all possible. She felt Fred shaking in her arms and wondered just what they'd done to her, she knew that she had only got a watered-down picture of what had happened and she didn't want to think about what they had put her friend through.  
  
They stayed that way for some time, Bob trying her best to comfort her terrified friend. Fred was holding on tightly in case her friend suddenly disappeared, she begged that this was not a trick by Saruman. Eventually she forced herself to pull away and looked at Bob.  
  
"It is really you isn't it?" She said in a whisper.  
  
Bob nodded. "Yes, it's really me." She smiled at Fred who just gave her a surprised look.  
  
"Thank God." Fred almost shouted as she hugged Bob tightly. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you."  
  
"It's going to be all right. I promise." Bob replied hoping the statement was true.  
  
Fred let Bob go and nodded, she wasn't feeling the pain for the first time since she had arrived she was just so pleased that she was no longer alone.  
  
"A touching reunion." Saruman's voice boomed through the room disturbing the thoughts of both the girls. "Unfortunately I cannot allow it to continue. I have far more pressing matters and me and Fred have some unfinished business."  
  
He nodded at the Orc who was still holding the hot poker. One of the Orcs that had brought her in went over to her and grabbed the chains and pulled her to her feet, once again she cried out in pain. The Orc held her upright and grabbed her hair and pulled her head back. Fred tried to scream but she was finding it very difficult. She wasn't sure what Saruman was going to do.  
  
"Tell me what I wish to know or I'll make your friend's life even more difficult than it already is."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Bob shouted.  
  
"I think you do. Either one of you tells me or I let my friend here do his job to his full potential."  
  
"We have no idea what you're talking about." Bob shouted angrily at him, she didn't want to see her friend hurt but knew there was nothing she could do about it, she couldn't tell him about Frodo or all this would be pointless. She looked across at Fred who confirmed her thoughts with a small nod that only Bob could really see.  
  
"Tell me where is the Ring bearer? NOW." Saruman was losing his patience. He had never met two more stubborn people and he didn't like it. "Fine." He almost ran over to the Orc holding the poker and snatched the instrument out of his hand.  
  
He grabbed Fred by the neck and hit her hard across the stomach with the poker, he smiled when she screamed and did it again, this time in a different position. He knew exactly where to hurt her most. Bob tried to stop herself from running to her friend knowing there was nothing she could say to help her without telling him about the Ring and Frodo.  
  
Saruman repeated his tortured several more times before he stopped and threw the poker to the ground, the whole room was silent except Fred's heavy breathing and the occasional whimper that escaped her lips. Saruman glanced around and then fixed his eyes on Bob who could hardly believe what had just happened. Saruman took one last look at Fred who was leaning towards the ground with only Saruman's strong hand holding her up. He dropped her and she fell to the ground. She felt something crack inside her but guessed that it wasn't anything too bad as she barely felt the pain. She longed for that familiar blackness to come but it seemed to just linger on the edges of her mind never letting her fully go.  
  
Fred reached her hand down to her stomach and pulled it back when it not only hurt her stomach but also burnt her hand. She wanted to find out how bad it was but she couldn't find the energy to look down and she was frightened about what she might find. She wanted to be back in her cell with David talking about his past and making her laugh even though she didn't want to.  
  
Bob couldn't take her eyes off Fred who was lying on the floor after Saruman's brutal assault. She wanted to get up and help her friend but she knew it would do no good. Fred knew that Bob couldn't help here and glanced her way giving her an understanding look, a knowledge passed between them that no one was to blame and that Bob should stick to it and not tell Saruman anything no matter what he did to Fred.  
  
Saruman walked back over to Fred who was still lying on the floor trying to recover from what had just happened. She kept a wary eye on Saruman who was circling her.  
  
"Tell me what I want to know or I let my Orcs do more awful things to your friend. I know how much she enjoys it." He smiled evilly.  
  
"No." Bob shouted back hating the fact she couldn't help her friend.  
  
"Very well." He bent down and picked Fred up from the floor holding her roughly and painfully by the arm. "I wonder what I can try that would make you tell me everything. I think I've been rather nice to you so far but maybe you do not deserve it. Let me see. Ah yes." He watched Fred as an Orc came in carrying something. Something that moved.  
  
Fred watched the Orc as it brought in the moving object.  
  
"Did I ever tell you that I could see everything that went on in that cell? I heard everything as well. I know your deepest fears. And now it is time you faced your phobia." He smiled as the Orc lifted the object up to Fred's face.  
  
It was literally crawling with bugs, all kinds and some that Fred didn't know. She wasn't sure what he was going to do with them but she guessed that it wasn't going to be good.  
  
Saruman smiled when he saw the reaction he got from Fred when she looked at the bugs.  
  
"It was spiders wasn't it? Your worst fear. What was the other one? Oh yes, enclosed spaces. How convenient look what I have here."  
  
Fred saw the Orcs bringing a box in, she instantly knew what was going to happen, she remembered seeing something very much like it in a film once. Saruman was going to throw her in that box with those bugs! She couldn't believe that he would do it but something in his voice changed her mind.  
  
Bob also understood what was happening, she wanted so much to tell Saruman everything and had to use all her will power to stop herself from shouting out the truth. She would even have swapped places with Fred if she could. That gave her an idea.  
  
"Please, do it to me instead. Whatever you're going to do, do it to me. You have hurt Fred enough please, don't do this."  
  
Saruman smiled. "Do you really think I'm going to do anything to hurt you? Oh no, I need you to talk and you can't do that when locked in a box with creatures around you. Especially if like these ones they eat your flesh." He laughed when he caught the horrified look on Fred's face. "You can make it all stop if you tell me where the Ring bearer is." He gave them one last chance.  
  
Bob looked at Fred who was now completely white and back at the box which the Orcs were preparing. She reluctantly nodded her head.  
  
"I don't know where the Ring bearer is or anything about it. Please do whatever you want to me just leave Fred alone."  
  
"No." Screamed Fred but not because they were now leading her towards the box, she didn't want anything to happen to her friend. It was her fault Bob was there in the first place and she didn't want to make things harder for her friend. "No. Do whatever you want. We don't know where the Ring bearer is."  
  
Bob shook her head amazed at Fred's bravery. Saruman was not wrong, bugs and enclosed spaces were Fred's worst nightmares but she was still not going to tell them anything.  
  
Saruman nodded at one of the Orcs who unchained Fred, she thought about running but knew that she hardly had the strength to stand up let alone run away from Orcs. She allowed them to lead her into the box although she resisted a little when they pushed her down. They forced her to lay down and she couldn't help but cry out in pain when her back was pushed against the bottom of the box. The Orcs ignored her and continued positioning her. She held out her hands to be chained but noticed that there were no chains anywhere in sight. She didn't understand at first but what she saw next explained everything for her even though she wished it didn't.  
  
One of the Orcs was holding something that resembled a hammer in one hand and some pointy bits of metal in the other. It suddenly dawned on Fred what they were going to do. They were going to nail her inside the box to make certain she didn't get out. She moved back in terror knowing that nothing she said would make any difference.  
  
Bob had also seen what they were about to do and began moving towards the box in order to help her friend. An Orc grabbed her but Saruman quickly pushed him away and led Bob to the box. She watched as one of the Orcs put a brown sack over Fred's head and held the nails out to Saruman. He shook his head and nodded towards Bob who didn't know what to do. The Orc held them out for Bob who on reflex opened her hand to receive them. She understood what they wanted her to do. They wanted her to nail her own friend into the box.  
  
She dropped the tools she had been given and Fred moved her head towards the noise in curiosity and fear. She tried to see through the sack but could only make out blurred shapes. She had a good idea of what they were doing.  
  
"No." Bob said, she was not purposefully going to hurt her friend.  
  
"You will do it or I will get him to." He pointed at a particularly strong looking Orc. "I do not think he will be as gentle as you."  
  
Bob looked in horror at the Orc Saruman had pointed to and then back at Fred who was trying to figure out what was going on. Finally after thinking a moment Bob nodded and bent down to pick up the tools. The Orc nearest the box reached down and roughly grabbed Fred's hand and placed it where she would be nailed. Bob leaned over the box wishing she didn't have to do this. She leant forwards so Fred could hear her.  
  
"I'm so sorry." She said trying not to cry and make Fred feel worse.  
  
"It's all right." Fred whispered back. Even through the thick sack Bob could hear the fear in Fred's voice.  
  
Bob Held the piece of metal up to Fred's hand and placed the hammer above it. She said sorry under her breath one last time and pushed the hammer down quickly and as smoothly as she could hoping it wouldn't cause her friend too much pain. Bob almost dropped the hammer when she heard Fred's cry. The Orc holding her hand let it go as blood trickled from the wound. Bob remembered that it was safer to leave an object in a wound as it stopped the blood-flow. At least her friend wouldn't bleed much - until they took it out. She didn't even want to think about that right then.  
  
The Orc grabbed Fred's other hand and ignored the plea from Fred. Bob did the same as she had done before, this time Fred's cry was not so loud, this betrayed how much she had been through the past few days and how terrified she was about what was going to happen.  
  
Saruman grabbed Bob and pulled her away from the box. She couldn't move, she just stood still as the box of bugs was poured on top of the writhing Fred, she wanted so much to get Fred out but there was nothing she could do. The screams echoed throughout the tower as the lid of the box was slammed shut and Fred could no longer be seen. Bob didn't want to imagine what was happening to Fred inside there. She tried not to think about it but she couldn't get it off her mind.  
  
"As soon as you tell me what I want to know I'll let your friend go." He said.  
  
"You can't keep her in there forever, you want her alive and you know it'll kill her to stay in there." Bob hoped her argument was right.  
  
"That is true but there are far worse things I can do to your friend remember that. Take her to a cell." Saruman ordered and the Orcs pulled Bob away from the room. Slowly the cries of distress from the room died as she got further away from helping Fred.  
  
The plan hadn't worked out quite as she expected, she hadn't anticipated that Fred would be so badly hurt and that she herself would have to participate in her friend's torture.  
  
The Orcs threw her into a cell and left her there with a small tin of water very much like Fred's. She get up and sat on the bed and buried her head in her hands hoping to get rid of the images.  
  
What Bob didn't realise was that she was in the cell right next to David who was also getting worried about Fred. Normally they would throw her back in the cell after a while but her long absence meant that something very bad was happening to her and David didn't want to think about what kind of Torture Saruman was performing on her. She had been through enough the past few days without having to suffer more. He hoped she was all right but deep down he felt like she was in great pain. He didn't know how right he was. 


	28. Trapped

Disclaimer: I wish I owned the lotr characters but unfortunately I don't.  
  
Ch 28 Trapped  
  
Ned was sat hidden amongst the trees she was trying desperately to keep out of the way of the Wraiths that were still looking around the forest. They already had two people, Ned didn't know why they wanted any more. She wondered if Fred and Bob had been reunited yet but thought that maybe it was too early. She had hoped that her earlier small psychic experience might come back and tell her something but nothing happened.  
  
The Hobbits were also sat still doing exactly as Ned told them to do. They were a little nervous at being left alone with her especially seeing as she was injured, they knew there was no way she could defend them if they were found.  
  
Frodo was worried about Ned's condition, he had tried to ask her if she was alright but she had refused to say anything to him. He was genuinely worried about her, he still couldn't understand why he was so concerned it was obvious that she wasn't. He wished that Bob was there with them, she seemed to understand Ned a bit better than Frodo did. He wondered how Bob was getting on, she had been very brave going off to Middle Earth like that.  
  
Sam was also concerned about Ned but not for the same reason as Frodo. Ned seemed to know these woods fairly well and if she died or passed out on them Frodo and him would be lost and on their own in a strange place they knew nothing about. Sam didn't know if they could survive on their own if Ned was gone. There would certainly be little chance of them ever finding a way out of the Forest. Although right then Ned didn't seem to be doing a lot anyway. In fact she was doing nothing. Sam decided to wait patiently and see what happened. After all there was nothing he could do about it.  
  
Ned finally turned round and faced the Hobbits who were sat looking at the ground with sad expressions on their faces. Ned didn't need to ask why they were sad.  
  
"Bob will be fine. She's far stronger than you think she is and she won't let you down, that I can assure you."  
  
"How do you know that?" Sam asked.  
  
"Because she knows what's at stake, she knows that if she fails then so does your quest and she won't let that happen."  
  
"I hope you're right." Sam mumbled looking back to the floor.  
  
"Look, I've known Bob for some time and she won't give up and she won't fail. I suggest we get out of here. We need to find somewhere to take shelter, it won't be long before the Wraiths start looking for us again." Frodo and Sam nodded, pleased to be moving again but also a little concerned about what Ned had said. Both Hobbits knew that she and the others knew more than they were letting on.  
  
Frodo decided to ask about it, he wanted to know what Ned had meant when she said that Bob knew hoe important their quest was.  
  
"What did you mean when you said about our quest? How did you know about it?" He asked.  
  
At first Ned said nothing. "I just know okay." She said after a while of thinking.  
  
"How? You're not from Middle Earth and you certainly wouldn't know Lord Elrond at Rivendell. The only people who know the details are the people who were at the Council of Elrond and you weren't there so how do you know?"  
  
Ned didn't know what to say. She knew that she couldn't tell the Hobbits the truth about how she knew but she also knew that she had to tell them something or they would keep asking questions until they found out the truth. She didn't want to tell them that their world came from the imagination of a writer and that none of it was considered real on Earth.  
  
After a while she said. "We just know certain things about you and your world." She said knowing there would be more questions and not looking forward to answering them. She was right.  
  
"How do you know? Is it written somewhere?"  
  
Ned decided it was as good an excuse as any and replied. "Yes. It is recorded, everything you might do in your quest. Kind of like a prophecy." The perfect escape.  
  
"Who wrote it?" Frodo continued. Ned decided that it wouldn't be a lie to tell them a little about Tolkien.  
  
"A man, a long time ago."  
  
"What man?"  
  
"I can't remember his name." She lied.  
  
"How did he know what was going to happen to me? He couldn't have known about the quest."  
  
"I don't know how he knew but he just did."  
  
"Did he prophesise how I died?" The question made Ned halt. She looked at Frodo in shock; she hadn't expected to be asked that.  
  
"What?" She said in disbelief that he had asked the question.  
  
"This man did he know how I died?" Frodo seemed remarkably calm about the question.  
  
"I.I don't know."  
  
"You're lying. Is it bad?" Frodo continued with a slight crack in his voice this time.  
  
"I don't think I should say."  
  
"Why not?" Frodo persisted.  
  
"Because it's not my place to change your future. You have to work this out yourself. If I told you anything about it it would change what will happen and if that happens you could change the whole timeline."  
  
Frodo said nothing in reply but just nodded knowing that he wasn't going to get anything else out of Ned. She spotted the look on his face, like he needed something more.  
  
"Frodo, we all have to live out our lives. We never know what will happen and we can't change the past. Everything you do now will affect what happens later on and I can't afford to change that. You should do what you think best all the time and remember what you set out to do." She smiled at him and he looked gratefully back at her.  
  
Ned surprised even herself with these words. She didn't realise she could be so wise.  
  
"I just thought. You sounded just like Gandalf." Frodo smiled.  
  
Ned was shocked, she was being compared to an old wizard. But at least coming from Frodo that was a complement.  
  
**  
  
Bob sat in her cell thinking about what to do next. Her plan hadn't gone exactly right but at least in Orthanc, which she was thankful for. Fred was now being tortured because of her. She could still feel the now dried blood that had come when she had nailed Fred's hands onto the side of the box. They had made her torture her own friend. She had come to rescue Fred and had ended up just hurting her more.  
  
Now she had to think of something to get out of Orthanc, all she needed was an opportunity. The trouble was that she didn't know anything about Orthanc and had no way of getting out herself or getting Fred out.  
  
She wondered if Fred had ever tried to escape, she couldn't imagine her friend just sitting in a cell and doing nothing. Fred would have at least tried which was what Bob had to do now. She got up and walked around quickly inspecting the cell maybe finding a weak place. From what she could see the stone walls were pretty solid.  
  
She found a small hole in the wall but there was no way she could get out through there. She tried to look through it but there was nothing but darkness. She looked around the cell some more but found pretty much the same thing. There was no obvious form of escape. She went to the small window that was too high for her to reach. She could see moonlight shining through but knew that she would never be able to escape through it. Even if she could reach it somehow she couldn't fit through anyway. It was so frustrating. She tried to think of what they did in the films when they wanted to escape a prison. Unfortunately her mind was blank.  
  
Bob sat back down on the bed and looked around her. It was then that she noticed something gleaming in the corner of the cell. The small beam of moonlight was hitting something and making it visible. She couldn't see exactly what it was from her place on the bed so she got up and cautiously walked over to it. Something told her to be afraid of what she might find but she couldn't resist seeing what it was.  
  
She edged closer. When she was closer she could see that it was some form of metal although she didn't know what kind. She took a closer look and saw that the metal was attached to something. A skeleton. She saw the hollow skull and panicked. Bob jumped back and let out an involuntary scream, she hadn't been expecting to find the remains of someone in her cell and it frightened her.  
  
After she had recovered slightly she moved towards the skeleton trying to tell herself that the dead couldn't hurt her but still she moved slowly as if it was going to jump up and grab her. She finally plucked up the courage to crouch down and take a proper look at the skeleton. She noticed that it was quite small, probably a Dwarf judging by the helmet it wore on its head.  
  
The glinting she had seen was a coat of armour, mithril. The most precious metal in Middle Earth. She reached out and touched it not really knowing what to expect. The Lord of the Rings movie came to her mind and she remembered Gandalf explaining that it was worth a lot of money and was very strong. She looked over the skeleton again and noticed something else that caught her eye. It was a medallion of some kind. It had a small red jewel in it and beautiful markings around the outside. It was hanging on a chain around the Dwarf's neck.  
  
Bob picked it up and examined it. She soon realised that the markings were in fact a form of writing. Of course she couldn't translate it and decided it would be a waste of her time to even try and figure it out. It did look like it belonged to someone important and with the armour would be worth a lot of money in Middle Earth.  
  
Bob gently undid the medallion and held it in her hands. It was definitely made by the Dwarves as she could feel how heavy it was. She also thought it would be a good idea to take the armour, it might come in handy later on and would protect her from the Orcs that she might meet during her hopeful escape.  
  
She moved closer to the skeleton until she was right up next to it. Luckily all the flesh that had once been there had long disappeared but she hated to think of this body rotting away in the cell. She also didn't want to think how he died.  
  
She pulled on the armour to see what would happen, when nothing did she pulled harder hoping to loosen it. She felt it come away from the Dwarf and grabbed the bottom and started pulling it up hoping to lift it over the skull. She was doing quite well until she saw something moving inside the now exposed rib cage. She looked again to be sure that it wasn't just her imagination. This time she was sure, she saw something big and black inside, a rat. She screamed at the new discovery. The rat was disturbed and scuttled away from the body. Bob didn't know what to do, she was terrified that something else was inside and she didn't want to disturb it. She took a deep breath and told herself that it was just a rat and it couldn't hurt her.  
  
She continued to pull the armour off and just as she was about to pull it off the skeleton collapsed and fell to pieces leaving the skull looking up at her with hollow eye sockets. She didn't move back or scream this time knowing that there was nothing inside and that it was her fault the skeleton had crumbled. She quickly grabbed the armour and shook it off admiring its beauty.  
  
"I think I need this more than you." She said for no particular reason. She looked at the medallion at her side and thought that she might need it for trading if they were stuck in Middle Earth. Bob had never seen anything like it. There was something about it that made it look important.  
  
Bob got up and looked once more around the cell keeping an eye out for the rat that had scurried away, she knew it would probably be back later. She didn't know what to do next. It was clear that there was no escape from the cell, she decided there was no point wasting her time by checking the cell again. She looked at the things she had just collected and thought she had better put the armour on. The Orcs could come back any minute and she would be no good to Fred if she was dead.  
  
Bob took her jacket off and slipped the armour underneath and zipped the jacket back up hoping that no one would notice the thin armour. At least this way was giving her a chance at rescuing her friend and not getting killed by Orcs.  
  
She sat down on the bed and thought about what she could do next, there had to be something she could do to help Fred, she obviously couldn't tell Saruman about the Ring and Frodo but she also couldn't let her friend suffer. Bob was glad that she no longer could feel the psychic link between her and Fred, as terrible as that sounded Bob couldn't imagine having to go through what Fred was right now.  
  
**  
  
Fred had tried to scream as loudly as she could but the feeling of the bugs crawling all over her made her throat dry up so much that she couldn't speak let alone scream. She didn't really feel the pain in her hands because her mind was so concerned with wanting to escape those awful bugs. It was her two worst nightmares rolled into one. She knew Bob did the right thing by not telling Saruman anything but she wished she didn't have to go through this.  
  
She felt something trying to crawl through the sack they had placed on her head and hoped that it wouldn't reach her face. Luckily none of the bugs seemed to be biting her, yet. She decided there and then that she would never complain about spiders in her room ever again. This was definitely the worst torture she had had so far. The hot pokers and whips were better than this.  
  
As if as a reminder that this statement wasn't true she felt a sharp pain go through her from when she had been hit earlier on. She wanted to cry out but found that her voice still wouldn't allow it.  
  
Fred wished she could move and make herself slightly more comfortable, if that was possible but the box was so small and every time she even moved slightly the nails hammered through her hands hurt so much that she had to stop. It was frustrating not being able to do anything at all about her situation. She tried to ignore the bugs and the small space and tried to reinact Lord of the Rings in her mind.  
  
It didn't work, the more she tried not to think about it the more she thought about it. She wanted to get out of there. She told herself to calm down and tried to control her rapid breathing, as it would be no good to hyperventilate. Fred hoped there was enough air inside that box, it seemed like she was suffocating.  
  
Fred knew that she needed to get out of there but at the same time knew that there was no escape from the inside. It was killing her.  
  
**  
  
Ned, Frodo and Sam were still walking looking for somewhere suitable to camp, Ned wanted to be both sheltered and able to see what was going on, her typical hard specification. Frodo and Sam were just tired and wanted to find somewhere to rest and go to sleep.  
  
Finally Ned stopped and declared that she had found the right place. Frodo and Sam gratefully sat down and took the bottles of water out of their bag. They were tired of seeing the same forest and walking for so long. They were used to journeying far but this was almost too much plus Ned kept a swift pace and they were worn out very quickly.  
  
"I'll go and make a fire. I think it's going to be cold tonight and we don't want to freeze."  
  
"Do you think it's a good idea to be building a fire when those Wraiths are looking for us? We're meant to be avoiding them not attracting them." Frodo said.  
  
"Yeah well it'll be no good to anyone if we die of hypothermia tonight. We also need to eat and I don't really want raw sausages do you?" Ned said impatiently. She was angry at always having to explain herself to the Hobbits. She didn't know why but she knew this was going to be a long night and she was not looking forward to it. 


	29. advice

Disclaimer: I don't own them so I have to entertain myself.  
  
Ch 29 Advice  
  
The door to the box finally opened and light steamed into where Fred lay completely still. Most of the bugs were now sleeping under her keeping away from possible harm, now the box was filled with bright sunlight the bugs that had remained on top of her ran away into the corners looking for the darkness they loved.  
  
Fred couldn't see what was happening but she had noticed the slight change in light through her sack. She waited for it to leave again but it didn't and she felt something breathing against her, something very close. She thought she should have been scared but she wasn't there was something comforting about the presence that made her calm and almost forget the situation she was in. She heard a soft voice talking to her trying to reassure her but she could hardly catch the words because they were so muffled through the sack on her head.  
  
She wanted to try and get the sack off but knew that by moving she would disturb many creatures that were beneath her. Before she could even think about doing so the figure near her did it for her. A hand came down and gently removed the sack. Fred was almost blinded by the light but when she opened her eyes she could see through both of them. She realised then that this must be a dream and sighed in disappointment.  
  
Fred tried to focus on the form that was standing over her. She instantly recognised him as the man who had been stood in the doorway a few days ago, her guardian angel.  
  
"Do not fear young one, everything will turn out alright. You are not alone." The voice was soft and kindly, Fred didn't want it to stop talking to her as she felt relaxed and could no longer feel the creatures crawling under or over her.  
  
"Who are you?" She didn't think she'd be able to talk but her voice was strong.  
  
"That is not important. I am here to help you. I can give you this advice. No matter what happens or how hard it gets you must say nothing about the Ring bearer or the Ring. Do not be deceived he will not let you go no matter what you tell him. You must be strong and keep your word to Frodo. Your friend will help you I know but it will take time. As long as hope remains and you stick to your word everything will work out right even in the most desperate situation."  
  
Fred didn't understand what was going on but the words seemed to make complete sense. She thought for a moment that this could be a deception by Saruman but quickly thought that he could never be so pure. No this was real, she knew it.  
  
"How will it be alright? Who are you? Is this a dream?" She said noticing the image beginning to fade slightly.  
  
"There is no time for questions. The whole of Middle Earth depends that you keep that secret. Good luck and remember that there is always hope and a person can survive on it."  
  
Fred nodded knowing that she could ask no more questions.  
  
"Thank you." She said as the image faded into nothing.  
  
**  
  
Bob lay sleeping in the cell; she had finally given in when she had felt at least a little safe in her armour. She knew that she would need all her strength if she would later have to fight the Orcs. What was she thinking? She had never fought anything before. She had watched people do judo and things but had no experience at it at all. There was no way she could take on a whole army of Orcs with just a mithruil vest.  
  
Bob sat up knowing that she would not get any more sleep and was pleased to find that light was already beginning to fill the dark prison. She looked around checking to see if anything had changed. It was all exactly as she remembered it. Even the rat could be heard chewing at something but she didn't want to think about what it was.  
  
The collapsed bones of the Dwarf in the corner remained where they were and Bob had kept a close eye on them throughout the night just in case some of those horror movies came true. Just the thought that that had once been a living, breathing thing made Bob concerned. During the night she wondered whether she would end up like that, they surely wouldn't just leave her in there to rot away like him. The thought frightened her and she put it to the back of her mind.  
  
She got up and went to the door and pressed her ear up against it. She could hear the sound of people speaking and occasionally shouting but she guessed that was most likely the prisoners than the Orc guards.  
  
She went to the bed and sat back down, she needed to think of something to get them out of there. They couldn't stay there forever, they would never get to see The Return of the King movie. She sighed and laid back down knowing there was nothing she could do. She thought of several possibilities but none would work in this particular place. She even thought about some of the fanfics Ned had written but that didn't help either. This was hopeless.  
  
She cursed herself for thinking that, something told her that she shouldn't lose hope although she didn't know why she suddenly thought of that. Maybe it was Fred again, since this whole thing had begun their psychic link had gotten stronger. Bob wondered if the Orcs were ever coming back or whether they were just going to leave her in there to rot away like the Dwarf that had once been in the cell. She hoped not, she couldn't handle staying in this place for too long and was amazed that Fred hadn't gone completely mad.  
  
For some reason Bob suddenly thought of Ned, she wondered if she was okay. Ned had been stabbed and hadn't looked particularly well when Bob had left. Was it a good idea to leave her in charge of the Hobbits? Bob hoped she had done the right thing. They were the most important things right then and needed to be safe and looked after. Bob was trying to convince herself that everything would be alright and that Ned would do everything she could to keep the Hobbits safe and away from Ring Wraiths. She had to believe it. She just hoped she hadn't made a big mistake.  
  
Bob sighed, there was nothing she could do about it when she was locked in a cell in Orthanc. She just wished that the Hobbits would be safe and that everything would work out as planned.  
  
**  
  
This time Fred knew it was real, she saw the bright light but it wasn't a friendly voice that greeted her it was the gruff voice of an Orc. The sack over her head was roughly pulled off and she was almost blinded by the light even though it was still quite dim. She focused her eyes on the ceiling of the hall trying not to look down and see the numerous bugs that she could still feel crawling on her.  
  
The Orc grabbed a tool of some kind and without any real thought pulled the jagged pieces of metal from Fred's hands. She screamed at the pain but the Orc just moved onto the other one without even listening to her. Finally the pins were out and she moved her hands, she could feel something with many legs crawling across her hand but she shook it off ignoring the pain it caused. The Orc grabbed her arm and pulled her into a sitting position. He quickly scraped off some of the insects that were clinging to Fred.  
  
Rough hands pulled her up and out of the box but she did not complain although because she had been in the same position for so long she could hardly move. The Orc must have noticed this and threw her over his shoulder. Again she didn't say anything even though she wasn't being treated nicely she was just pleased to be out of that box.  
  
The Orc took her to a room and stripped off her clothes until she had very little on, he then held up a bucket of water and tipped the freezing liquid over her head. The bugs that had been on her feel to the floor when hit with the cold water. She shivered but was grateful that they were no longer crawling on her. Finally the Orc finished and shook out her clothes. She didn't really understand why he was being so nice. She would have thought Saruman would have wanted her to suffer more.  
  
Her clothes were thrown at her and she shakily put them on. She was still so paranoid that there was something still in them but the cold forced her to put them on quickly.  
  
Soon she was dressed and walking slowly and painfully through the halls of Orthanc, she realised that she was not being taken back to Saruman's room but back to the cellblock. She sighed in relief that she wouldn't have to go through any more torture that day, she could hardly stand as it was.  
  
They finally reached her cell and the Orc opened the door and threw her in so she hit the floor. The Orc quickly looked around the cell and said something in the filthy language that Fred now hated. She felt the world spinning and thought that any minute she would lose consciousness. It was then that she felt that familiar comfortable presence by her side. She glanced across and saw the concerned face of David looking back at her. She saw his lips move but couldn't make out what he was saying. She closed her eyes to block out the pounding in her head and then all she saw was blackness but she could still feel that deep relief that she was now safe and with David.  
  
**  
  
Aragorn and Fred's father had set off looking for Fred and her friends. They were now heading in the car towards the New Forest, exactly where the three friends had originally gone. Aragorn had guessed that if the girls wanted to hide out somewhere it would have to be fairly close by but also far enough away from the town.  
  
The Forest was the perfect place. It had plenty of cover and was secluded enough to hide. Aragorn just hoped that they were all right and that the Hobbits were safe with the three girls. He was an experienced tracker and was almost sure that he would be able to find them, however, the Forest was very big and it had been fairly dry the past few days. The two men had taken camping gear with them and enough food to last a while in case it took a long time to find what they were looking for.  
  
Aragorn saw the sign telling them they were in the New Forest, he instantly felt nervous and after years of being a ranger and growing up among the Elves he had learned to listen to his instincts.  
  
"From now on go slowly and as quietly as possible. We know not what may be chasing our targets." He said.  
  
"I don't think there are any dangerous wild animals in the New Forest Aragorn."  
  
"It is not the wild animals that concern me. There are things far more dangerous."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"If we were brought here then it is probably a trick by Saruman, that means that he wants Frodo and the Ring. He would send more than us here if he wanted to catch us. Ring Wraiths would be the obvious ones. They work for Sauron but if Mordor and Isengard are working together the Wraiths might well be here. They do not take kindly to being hunted and would do anything to get to the Ring and please their Master."  
  
"You think they'd kill Fred?"  
  
"No. I think if they found her they would take her straight to either Mordor or Isengard. A far worse fate than death."  
  
Fred's father looked at over him concern etched on his face.  
  
"Do not worry. From what you have told me the three girls are sensible and would try not to get caught by Wraiths. I am sure they are safe and we will find them. Let us look for a place to begin our search."  
  
Even though Aragorn had tried to convince Fred's father that the girls would not have been hurt by the Ring Wraiths he could not help thinking that they were in trouble and wanted to get looking for them as soon as possible. Something was wrong about this Forest and he could feel it. 


	30. decisions

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Lord of the Rings although I wish I did.  
  
Ch 30 Decisions  
  
David looked down at the pale face of Fred, she had been sleeping for the past several hours only stirring occasionally and saying things in her sleep that David could make no sense of. Finally she seemed to be brought back to some kind of sense. David smiled at her when she opened her eyes.  
  
The whole place was so blurry and Fred was having trouble making things out, she remembered the box and the bugs. Were they still crawling all over her? At this thought she sat up straight and immediately found that her head was light and she was feeling dizzy, she couldn't remember bumping her head but anything was possible. She lifted her hand up to check her forehead for any wounds, she found a small cut where she had been thrown into the cell earlier on but it was nothing serious. She did notice the dull throbbing in her hands. She looked down and saw two blood stained bandages on her hands.  
  
Fred touched the bandage and pulled away when she remembered what had happened, Bob had nailed her to the box.  
  
"You shouldn't touch them, it took me a while to stop the bleeding. I'm sorry if they're not very comfortable." Fred looked around; she had forgotten that David was also in the cell with her. "I did my best. I didn't have much to work with and it took a while to get all the bugs out of your hair but apart from that I think you're going to be alright. How do you feel?"  
  
Fred didn't know what to say she was just so relieved that she wasn't in that box and she was with her friend. She opened her mouth to speak but she couldn't. Instead she grabbed David and hugged him, she held him tightly not wanting to let him go. He was a little surprised at this; he wasn't expecting her to do that.  
  
"I'm so glad you're here." She said finally finding her voice.  
  
"You're safe now." He tried to sooth her and stroked her hair lovingly.  
  
"I though I'd never see you again. Did they hurt you?"  
  
David smiled that Fred was still thinking about him even after what they had done to her. "I'm fine. It was you that went through the bad things again. I thought I'd lost you for a minute back there. He did a pretty good job on you. What did you say to him to make him so angry?"  
  
At this Fred pulled herself away from his embrace.  
  
"It wasn't what I said, it's what I didn't say and what she didn't say."  
  
David was confused at this. "Who didn't say what?"  
  
"Bob." Fred said simply. "Bob's here in Orthanc. She came to rescue me. She did this to me." She lifted her hands to show him the bandages.  
  
"Why would you best friend hurt you?" He was beginning to dislike this Bob.  
  
"She didn't. She probably saved me a lot of pain."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"This is terrible but imagine if an Orc had done it instead, that would be even worse right?"  
  
"I suppose so."  
  
"Bob couldn't tell him anything about why we're here and she knew that which means she must know something about what's going on. If that's true then she's probably here to save me." Fred smiled at David who was confused.  
  
"I'm not sure I understand. Bob came here and did this to you to save you. That seems a little crazy Fred."  
  
"I know but why else would she be here? She came here to help me which is good news." Fred was a little confused, she thought David would have been pleased that her friend was there to help them.  
  
"I don't know. Remember what happened last time we tried to escape. That didn't go well and I just don't think you should get your hopes up that's all."  
  
"I know Bob okay. She wouldn't come here without some kind of plan, it might not be very good but that's not the point. She might be our only chance at getting out of here. You may want to stay in the dark, cold cell for the rest of your life but I don't and if Bob does have a way of getting me out then I'm going with her."  
  
David didn't know what to say, he had never heard Fred talk like that before. She certainly was determined not to stay in the cell and he didn't blame her. He just didn't want to see her get hurt again. In his opinion she had been through enough already without being tortured again. He just hoped this Bob knew that.  
  
"Alright. If you think your friend really can save us then I trust her." He took her hand gently and smiled.  
  
"Thank you." She said softly.  
  
"I just hope you don't get caught again that's all."  
  
"Hey, what are the chances of that happening? I've already had too much bad luck, it must be someone else's turn now." She tried to lighten the serious mood that had descended but it didn't work although David did force himself to smile at the comment if only to make Fred feel better.  
  
"I hope you're right." His soft voice was genuine this time. He was beginning to believe that Bob really could be their salvation. Finally they would be free.  
  
Fred looked at the small contented smiled that had unexpectedly appeared on David's face and snuggled up close to him. This action brought him out of his thoughts and he put his arm over Fred's shoulders. He drew her closer wanting to make sure she was warm and comfortable. It was then he realised that if they were rescued they would probably be parted. He couldn't do that; he loved being around her and certainly didn't want to let her go. He held her a little tighter. She noticed this and looked up questioningly.  
  
"If we do get out of here I want to come with you." He finally said.  
  
Fred was completely shocked by this and sat up to face him. She expected to see and smile or a grin or something to say he was joking but there was nothing but a deadly serious look on his face. She knew he wasn't joking. She tried to understand what he had just said but that fuzzy feeling that had clouded her head returned.  
  
"Are you serious?" She asked.  
  
"Yes. I could not be separated from you now, I could not bare it. You feel the same don't you?"  
  
"Yes but this is a big decision. Are you sure you're ready to leave Middle Earth behind? You said you wanted to see your family again, what about them? Won't you miss them?"  
  
"Of course I will miss them but I have already lived in here many years on my own and have had no contact with them I think I can live without them some more. I wish to stay with you. My family have not come to rescue me in all my years here and I am not sure I would want to see them again. It would be worth giving them up to be with you."  
  
"Wow. I wasn't expecting that." She really was speechless.  
  
"You do not wish for me to come with you?"  
  
"Yes of course I would love for you to stay with me but you would be giving up so much. I don't know if it would feel right taking all that away from you."  
  
"But I am willing to give it up to be with you. I love you."  
  
This really shocked Fred. She had thought it and she was pretty sure that at some point he had but she had never heard it being said and it shocked her to hear it.  
  
"I.I don't know what to say." She stuttered.  
  
"You do not have to say anything. I love you and I want to come with you. If you will have me of course."  
  
"Yes. I would love for you to come. It is what I want but just promise me that you'll think about it some more and make sure it's what you really want."  
  
"Yes I will although I do not expect to change my mind. You should get some rest now Fred." He smiled and pulled her against him again. She nodded and leaned on him.  
  
Before she fell asleep she said softly,  
  
"David. I love you too."  
  
David smiled it was exactly what he wanted to hear.  
  
Fred fell asleep again; she had never had such a peaceful night during her stay in Orthanc, her dreams although a little dark seemed less frightening. In fact she liked the dreams so much that she wanted to stay there forever. She realised that when she was asleep she could no longer feel that terrible pain that was in her body during the waking hours.  
  
**  
  
Ned was trying to sleep against the hard floor but for some reason she just couldn't get comfortable that night. She longed for her own soft warm bed to sleep in rather than the hard floor. She was also sure that it was getting colder. She couldn't stop shivering no matter how many blankets she wrapped around herself. It didn't help that she was worried about Bob.  
  
Of course she hadn't been expecting her to come back the same day but at least when she was there Ned didn't feel quite so alone but now she felt like she was a million miles away from anyone. The Hobbits weren't being that helpful either, whenever they tried to comfort her they just ended up saying some thing to make her feel worse. She wished she could just go to sleep, she could hear Frodo and Sam's soft breathing as they slept soundly.  
  
She didn't know why this night was so different she had spent years camping and was used to sleeping on the floor with only blankets but tonight was different. She didn't understand it. Maybe it was her wound that was making her feel different. She could still feel it although the stabbing pain had dulled to a throb now. She wished she hadn't forced Bob to sew it up for her. That had only made the pain worse and had probably caused more of an infection than if she had just left it alone.  
  
Ned wanted to leave and as much as she hated to admit it she wished the Hobbits would just leave her alone.  
  
Unfortunately for her Frodo had woken up and was making his way over to where Ned was laying. He had wanted to ask her questions about how she knew about the Fellowship and the Quest but she had gotten quite angry last time so he decided against it and just went over to see if she was alright.  
  
Frodo reached over and touched Ned's shoulder. She jumped and swung around ready to hit out at anyone trying to attack her. She managed to stop herself when she saw Frodo and instead sighed and gave him an evil look.  
  
"What on earth are you doing? You shouldn't creep up on people like that."  
  
Frodo looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry Ned. I didn't mean to creep up on you. I just wanted to see if you were alright. So are you? Alright I mean."  
  
Ned gave him a confused look she hardly understood what he said and had to think about what he had said before she could answer his question.  
  
"Yes I'm fine. What are you doing up? It's late and we have walking to do tomorrow."  
  
"Like I said I wanted to see if you were alright and I couldn't sleep anyway. It's quite cold out tonight."  
  
Ned smiled. "Yes. I couldn't sleep either. Do you want another blanket? I have quite a few here. You can take one if you like."  
  
"No that's fine you need them more than me."  
  
"What is that meant to mean?" She said angrily.  
  
"Well, you're hurt and you've lost your friends."  
  
Ned couldn't believe what she was hearing. He didn't have a clue what was going and she was going to tell him so.  
  
"What do you mean lost my friends? They're coming back. I think I know them slightly better than you and they will come back. How can you say that you think they'll fail? I don't believe that'll ever happen. They risked their lives to save you and Sam so if I were you I would stop saying that kind of thing and be grateful that they were here to help you. If it weren't for them you'd already be dead. You remember that. And as for me being hurt you have no idea and I am not that bad. Do you understand?"  
  
Ned could hardly believe what she had just said. She didn't know where it all came from but all of it was true. She did feel slightly sorry when she saw the shocked and saddened look on Frodo's face. She wasn't going to apologise though. He had deserved it.  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." Frodo said weakly.  
  
Both stood in silence for some time not knowing what to say to each other.  
  
"I'm sorry Frodo. I didn't mean to be so blunt with you I just know that this is going to work and I could really use some else to agree with me right now." She smiled at him but he knew that it was fake.  
  
They looked at each other for a moment and felt increasingly uneasy about being with each other. After a while Ned decided it was time to break the silence although the question she wanted to ask wasn't going to make the situation any better in fact it would probably make it worse.  
  
"What did it feel like when you were stabbed?" Ned asked.  
  
Frodo looked a little shocked. He couldn't believe what she had just asked. "What?"  
  
"When you were stabbed at Weathertop what did it feel like? Describe what it felt like when you got stabbed. Please."  
  
"I'm not sure how to describe it. I don't remember much, just feeling this intense pain in my shoulder and a cold feeling running down my arm. I don't know what else to tell you. All I know is that I saw nothing but blackness for some time and light only came back when I was in Rivendell after Lord Elrond had healed me."  
  
"It took an Elf." Kelly said, more to herself than to Frodo.  
  
"It took an Elf to do what? Why are you asking these questions?"  
  
"I was stabbed Frodo. I just wanted to know if what I'm feeling now is normal or whether I should be worried."  
  
"There is no point in asking me that question. I was stabbed by a poison blade, that is why it felt cold, because I was passing into shadow. I believe Lady Arwen called it falling into shadow. This really cannot be related to your own condition Ned."  
  
"I think it can. I feel different Frodo. It's not just the wound, there's something else. I don't know how to describe it. I know something else is wrong and I don't know what. It is beginning to worry me."  
  
"What do you feel?" Frodo asked, suddenly very concerned about her.  
  
"I don't know. A coldness. Like something is wrong inside me. I think it may be poison. I've never felt like this before and I don't know what's wrong."  
  
"Me neither." Frodo said under his breath hoping Ned wouldn't hear.  
  
Unfortunately she did. "What?" She asked in surprise.  
  
"Nothing. Why didn't you tell Bob about this? I think she would have wanted to know."  
  
"Because she'd probably think it was her own fault. Like everything else on this trip. Bob had enough to worry about what with the visions and Fred's disappearance. It's enough without having me complaining because I'm cold."  
  
"I think she would have wanted to know." Frodo said trying to make Ned see sense.  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"You should tell her when she gets back." He smiled at her and she did the same to him. Finally they were connecting.  
  
"I will." She said, still smiling.  
  
Frodo sat for a while not knowing whether Ned wanted him to leave or whether he should stay and keep her company. The situation was awkward enough without him making it worse for both of them. He wanted to tell her that everything was going to be alright. He wanted to comfort her but he knew that it would be a mistake. He didn't want to upset her or make her angry. He could tell that she was worried about her friends so decided to keep quiet.  
  
After a while he looked up from his staring space on the ground and glanced at Ned. At first he thought something bad had happened. She was no longer sitting up straight but was leaned back against a tree. He leaned closer and sighed when he realised that she was soundly sleeping.  
  
He hoped that she was mistaken and that she wasn't poisoned. She didn't deserve that. He also got the impression that she was scared about what was happening to her, not that she'd ever admit it. He figured that she was too proud to do that and would certainly not ask for help.  
  
He wished that Bob or even Fred were there to help him. He didn't know what to do. He wasn't skilled in healing or anything like that. He knew that Aragorn was but that was no use to him in the middle of the forest. He would have given anything to see the Fellowship again. Even if it was only Gimli who he didn't know that well, at least he wouldn't feel so alone. He had Sam with him which was a comfort but neither were skilled healers or fighters and so were not good in the forest. He would have even liked some random Hobbit from the Shire to be there rather than just the two.  
  
It had occurred to him several times that he was all alone and now it was becoming even more apparent.  
  
He was totally alone. 


	31. understanding

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from lotr although I often dream.  
  
A/N: There are a few explanations to what happened and why the wish came true here. It might not help you understand but it's worth a try. I hope this doesn't confuse you more. Enjoy.  
  
Ch 31 Understanding  
  
Bob was walking around her cell again. It was so frustrating not being able to get out or even see what was going on behind the door. Her pacing was beginning to wear her out but she couldn't think of anything else to do and she was sure that she would go crazy if she didn't do something other than sit around waiting for something to happen. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the penknife Ned had given her before she left Earth. Bob felt strangely comforted by it; she liked the thought of having something potentially dangerous so close to her even though it was only a small knife. It was better than nothing.  
  
For a while she had been thinking about how to get herself and Fred out of Orthanc and break the spell at the same time. Maybe when someone put her and Fred in the same room together she could ask Fred if she knew where the spell was being controlled. She had assumed that it was some kind of physical thing that could be destroyed to break the spell. Or at least that's what she hoped. If not there would be no chance of them getting back to Earth and getting the Hobbits and the rest of the Fellowship back to Middle Earth.  
  
She knew that she couldn't let that happen. It was vital that she get the Fellowship back to Middle Earth otherwise the whole Lord of the Rings story could be ruined and it would change not only the future of Middle Earth but also the future of her own home. She couldn't fail.  
  
After some time she sat back down on the bed feeling inexplicably tired. She lay down and told herself that she would just rest her eyes. Unfortunately she fell asleep despite her efforts to keep awake, she didn't want to miss anything but she couldn't keep her eyes open. Almost as if someone was forcing her to sleep. In fact someone was.  
  
As she slept soundly she dreamed about everything that had happened and suddenly she saw something new. A big swirling red ball. Deep beyond her comprehension. She could see the patterns forming and swiftly disappearing in it. There was something more but she didn't know what it was or how to describe it.  
  
She suddenly understood why she was there. She knew that she was looking at the thing inside Orthanc that was controlling the spell. The swirling red ball was the thing that Saruman had used to transport the Fellowship to Earth. She seemed to know exactly how it worked as well even though she had never seen it before and had no idea what it was called. But none of that mattered. Suddenly she knew how to break the spell.  
  
To break the spell all she had to do was break the ball. Then it would all be over. That was easier said than done because she now knew where it was kept. Saruman's private chambers.  
  
**  
  
Gandalf sat in the middle of the magic store surrounded by candles and incense. He had ordered the owner of the shop to fetch him certain ingredients that he would need to send a message encrypted in dreams to someone in Middle Earth. He had been into the mind of a young woman in Orthanc already but that was just to offer support and assistance. Her mind had been strong but he could feel that she was not capable of carrying out the task of breaking the spell.  
  
It had taken many hours of silently thinking to understand how the spell had worked and eventually he thought of an old wizard who had found something of great power. Something that could make wishes come true. He had quickly tried to remember everything about the thing and had finally come up with the answer.  
  
He knew he had to reach someone who had access to it. That person had been the second to arrive in Middle Earth. Bob. He had immediately created a spell that would allow her to see what to do with the ball when she found it. He just hoped that she had received and understood his message. He had the feeling that she had understood everything he had told her. Now he just hoped she could do it.  
  
Bob had been a strong mind but he also felt determination in her, that was a good point and he was sure that she could do what he had instructed.  
  
His job now was to get all of the Fellowship into one place and he knew exactly where to go. The New Forest. Where Frodo was. He had sensed early on that that was where Frodo and Sam had gone and now all he needed to do was round up the rest of the Fellowship and somehow get them all to the New Forest before Bob broke the spell. That wasn't going to be easy seeing as he had no idea where the New Forest was or where the other members of the Fellowship were.  
  
**  
  
Fred was still sleeping soundly against David as she had been doing for several hours. Every so often David would also drift into a light sleep but he always woke himself up, he didn't want to take his eyes off Fred and every time she moved or made the slightest noise he checked that she was alright being careful not to wake her up.  
  
He had been thinking about Bob and how Fred was convinced that she was going to save them. They had already failed at one attempt and Fred had suffered greatly. He didn't want her going through that again. Even so he couldn't help but feel a hint of excitement at the thought of getting out of Orthanc and getting to spend the rest of his life with Fred on her world.  
  
David had been in love before, long ago. But she had left him and even then he did not feel the same kind of love for her as he did for Fred and he didn't want anything to happen to her. She trusted Bob and truly believed that she would save them so he had no choice but to go along with it and hope that Bob was going to succeed just as Fred had said. He prayed that it wouldn't go wrong and that nothing bad would happen to her or her friend. Strangely he didn't care about himself and realised that he would probably sacrifice himself to save her. Hardly a new concept to him but this made it all the more likely.  
  
He looked down at the sleeping form and smiled at the thought of them being together for the rest of their lives without wondering about how to escape and when they were next going to be tortured. He couldn't wait and suddenly wanted to tell Bob to hurry up and get them out of Isengard. He was nervous about what was going to happen but felt comforted by Fred's faith in her friend.  
  
He hoped this would work. He didn't want to think about what would happen if it didn't. Having to spend the rest of his life in Isengard under Saruman's rule would be awful and he didn't even want to consider that that might happen.  
  
He stroked Fred's hair when she stirred slightly, he forced himself not to wake her and tell her that he trusted her and Bob. He knew what Fred had been through and that was probably the last thing she wanted to hear. He decided to let her sleep, at least then she would be ready if an escape was attempted. That was the best thing that he could think to do to help her at that exact moment.  
  
**  
  
Bob was woken up suddenly by something pulling her up off the bed. She opened her eyes and looked around annoyingly to find out what had woken her from her peaceful sleep. She came face to face with an Orc that was sneering down at her and waiting for her to get up. It was about to come back again and pull her up when she held out her hand to stop him and forced herself to sit up.  
  
"Come." Was all the Orc said and Bob thought it best not to argue with him, it looked like it could kill her in a second so she did as she was instructed. The Orc went to put chains on her legs.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere. I don't need those." She pointed at the heavy chains. "They'll just slow me down." The Orc looked unsure. "Where am I going to go? I can't escape from here can I?" The Orc finally nodded and stood up.  
  
He grabbed Bob's arm and pulled her roughly behind him through the corridor. When she was absolutely sure he wasn't watching she smiled. It had worked; no chains meant she had a better chance of escaping. She could feel that her plan was going to work. All that pacing had been useful. She felt inside her pocket and touched the penknife that she was still carrying. With the knife and the armoured vest she was sure that she could get out of the tower.  
  
Bob's only problem was how to get Fred. She knew she couldn't break into the cells, at least not without being spotted which was no good to her at all. She needed to think of something else. She tried desperately to come up with an idea but she could think of nothing. She didn't realise that she wouldn't even have to think about that. Saruman was inadvertently doing her work for her. He had already called for Fred to be brought to the room as well.  
  
**  
  
Fred and David were still together when the big Orc came storming into their cell. Fred immediately woke up and looked at David who didn't know what was going on either. He noticed the terrified look in Fred's eyes. He hadn't seen that look since he had first seen her on her first day of torture in Orthanc. He grabbed her hand whilst the Orc tried to pull her away from David. He wanted to keep her with him but the Orc wouldn't have it.  
  
Fred reluctantly let go of David's hand, much to his surprise.  
  
The Orc dragged her through the door and through the cold, dark corridors. He didn't even bother putting chains on her knowing that there was no way she was going to escape after what happened last time. Fred calmed down after a while and even managed to do a bit of the walking on her own without the Orc roughly holding her up. She stumbled through the corridors with the Orc having a fairly good idea where they were heading. She recognised this corridor. Saruman's torture room.  
  
Fred hoped he hadn't ordered Bob there as well, she didn't want a repeat of what happened last time they were hurt together. Fred wanted to know what was happening but knew better than to ask the Orc. She knew he wouldn't tell her anything.  
  
Eventually, after what seemed the longest walk through the corridors ever they reached that big heavy door that Fred recognised as Saruman's torture chamber. She was suddenly filled with dread and knew that she had to get away. She tried to pull herself free but the Orc's grip was too strong and she couldn't go anywhere.  
  
The Orc opened the door and threw her inside quickly slamming the door behind him; Fred looked quickly around and saw exactly what she had been expecting. Saruman and Bob talking quietly in the corner of the room. When Fred arrived they stopped and looked at her. Bob certainly looked angry but Saruman looked surprisingly calm. They seemed to be quite angry that Fred had interrupted their conversation and they quickly said a few more words to each other before Saruman walked swiftly over to Fred who was still stood by the door trying to stand straight and look at least a little respectable. It wasn't working well because both wizard and friend could see through her.  
  
Saruman reached out his hand towards Fred who began walking backwards. She turned to run knowing that there was no escaping from this room but it was an impulse she had no desire to get rid of. Saruman took a few large strides forward and grabbed Fred's arm pulling her close to him. She looked over at Bob who was remarkably calm.  
  
Fred didn't understand it. Bob didn't look at all concerned about what was happening to her and for an instant Fred wondered if Saruman had done something to her. After a second of staring into Saruman's eyes Bob seemed snap out of her thoughts and confidently walked forwards. Fred had never seen her friend so calm in a bad situation, which they were used to because of Ned.  
  
"Let her go. I said I would negotiate." Bob said in a steady voice although Fred could hear the very slight tremble in it. Saruman apparently didn't.  
  
"There is no negotiation. Do you not know who I am? I am far more powerful than you. Remember I hold your friend's life in the palm of my hand if you do anything I will kill her." He threatened.  
  
Fred was suddenly even more afraid. She hoped Bob had some kind of plan for getting them out of this because she couldn't think of anything.  
  
"Then kill her. I don't care any more. I know your secret and there is no way you can stop me from doing what I came here to do. I will destroy that spell."  
  
Fred couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her best friend had just told an evil wizard that he could kill her if he wanted and she didn't care. That wasn't the Bob she knew. She knew something strange was going on but she couldn't quite grasp what it was. She just hoped that Bob did know what was going on.  
  
"You are nothing but a child. There is nothing you could do to stop the most powerful wizard of my Order."  
  
"Really? What did you mean child?" That was Bob.  
  
Fred just stood there watching what was going on around her; it was the most amazing sight. Bob talking to Saruman and threatening him. None of it seemed real. Then again nothing that had happened over the past few days seemed real. Was it days? She had no idea of the time at all. It could have been years for all she knew. It certainly felt that way.  
  
"I think you know what I mean. You're no more likely to defeat me than this." He shook Fred in emphasis. "Although she is slightly more immune to torture than I would have expected." He smiled down at her.  
  
"Yeah. Fred's like that." Bob said. "You're wrong though. I'm a lot more powerful than you think. You see I have certain friends that are far more powerful than you. Gandalf the Grey. Does that name mean anything to you? Of course it does. You tried to kill him didn't you? Well it looks as if he's still holding a grudge. He leant me some of his powers, I think that makes us about even." She smiled.  
  
Saruman looked completely surprised by this, Fred even felt that iron grip loosen slightly. He was genuinely shocked to hear this although he tried not to show it.  
  
"You're lying." He stated bluntly.  
  
"You think?" Bob asked, almost as if she was teasing him, knowing that she would get to prove herself to him and also prove him wrong. That was so Bob.  
  
"I beat Gandalf once I can beat a little girl trying to wield his powers."  
  
"Why don't you come and try?" She asked.  
  
Saruman looked doubtful and Fred wondered whether there was a touch of fear there as well. She couldn't imagine that cruel monster ever feeling anything but hate. Fred couldn't take her eyes off Bob who was standing ready waiting for Saruman to take up her challenge. She did seem far more powerful than usual. It was very odd to watch.  
  
Saruman nodded and suddenly let Fred go allowing her to fall to the floor from the unexpected movement. He didn't look down though. Bob did and smiled silently at Fred as if telling her that everything was going to be alright. There was something else in her eyes though. It wasn't fear like Fred would have expected but confidence. Real, genuine confidence. Fred couldn't help but think that there was no way that Bob could defeat Saruman even if she did have Gandalf's powers as she claimed. Fred hoped Bob knew what she was doing.  
  
Bob and Saruman met in the middle of the room and stared at each other for a while as if they were checking out what the other was capable of. There was absolute silence in the room. Not even the normal sounds from outside. Both Saruman and Bob said nothing but seemed to be talking to each other through their eyes. Fred couldn't believe what she was seeing. Bob, a student from Salisbury, and a great Wizard from Isengard coming to face to face to challenge each other to a duel in magic. It was insane.  
  
Fred sat on the floor looking utterly confused. Bob noticed this and smiled. Saruman also looked around at Fred who was still not understanding anything that was going on.  
  
"I think perhaps we should explain what's going on to Fred, she looks a little confused and you have had her locked up in a cell all this time. I think she deserves an explanation, wouldn't you say?" Bob said never letting her eyes stray from Saruman in case he tried something.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"I guess I should start as that must be the most confusing part." Bob smiled. "I allowed myself to get caught by one of those Ring Wraiths that Saruman so kindly sent down to Earth. It brought me here. My plan was to simply rescue you and get out but then I knew I had to also break the spell. Saruman will come to that in a minute. Anyway I came here and that box and bug thing happened. He locked me away in a cell and presumably did the same to you later.  
  
"This is where to have to listen because it gets a little confusing. I was in my cell pacing around trying to think of where Saruman would keep his precious spell. I suddenly felt sleepy so decided to rest for a while. I had a dream that explained everything I had wanted to know. Why I was here. How Saruman was controlling the spell and more importantly where it was being kept. I got another gift besides knowledge. Gandalf loaned me his powers for a while and told me that I had to get you and me in the same room. He came up with quite a good plan really. Kill Saruman, destroy the thing that's making the spell and get out of Isengard. He gave me everything I would need to do all that.  
  
"Fred you still look confused. You yourself have seen him before. He wore a bright white gown and glows slightly. He rescued you from that Orc the day." Bob didn't need to continue. "He helped you with your problem and he helped me with mine. Now do you understand better?"  
  
"No not really." Fred was still confused. "What did you mean destroy the spell?"  
  
"Ah, that's my part. I must say Gandalf was very clever to figure it out, I thought it would take him much longer. You see the spell is made through an artefact found many ages ago. It was made by a great wizard of his time. He found a ball of pure crystal and took it to his home. At that time crystal was no use to anyone and he could do nothing with it. He decided to make something that no one would ever forget. A device that could grant any wish and make it come true. He planted it in a town of men but no one took any notice of it as it was of no value.  
  
"One day a great warrior came along and picked up the ball. As soon as he did it began to glow a deep red colour and he soon realised that it was not just a ball of worthless crystal. It was taken through many places and saved the man's life many times. He used countless wishes and changed many things. Mostly he used the Crystal for good but one day he had a chance to kill a relative that had disgraced his family many times. He knew that to do so would mean his own death so he wished that the relative was dead and the next day he was.  
  
"Over the years he found that he could do many deeds that were considered too horrific for a man of his stature to do. The Crystal soon became good for only one thing. Evil. Eventually the man died but before he did he hid the crystal where he thought no one could find it. Until Isengard was made. Here the crystal has stayed for many years and now it has come under my command. I made sure that Frodo wished what he did and then the entrance to your world was opened and creatures from Middle Earth could pass freely through the porthole. I was not anticipating that you would come and ruin my plans. It seems both Gandalf and your friend were slightly more clever than I first thought."  
  
Bob nodded as is thanking him for the complement.  
  
"I know it's a little hard to follow but just agree with whatever he says. I'm not sure I understand everything either." Bob smiled as if nothing was happening.  
  
"Bob what are you going to do?" Fred was unusually worried about her friend.  
  
"Don't worry Fred. You know that I'm going to win right?" She smiled again.  
  
Fred looked at Saruman who had turned back around to face his opponent. She got the feeling that they both wanted to get started rather than telling Fred about everything that had happened. They stared at each other again; Fred assumed this was some kind of preparation for what was about to happen. Strangely Bob had a slight smile on her face almost as if she was enjoying the stand off. This made no sense to Fred; maybe Saruman didn't scare Bob as much as he did her.  
  
After a while Saruman let out a yell that sounded a lot like a battle cry and the fight between the Wizard and the human began.  
  
Fred didn't know what to do so she ran for cover not wanting to get involved. She thought it best not to get in the way of Bob and Saruman. She just hoped that it was her friend that won and not Saruman. She waited patiently for the first strike and when it came it caught her completely unprepared. This was also true of Bob. 


	32. the gathering

Disclaimer: I don't own anything the great Tolkien invented. I wish I did..Damn it didn't work.  
  
Ch 32 The Gathering  
  
Gandalf grabbed his things quickly and ran out of the shop before the shopkeeper could even say anything. Not that he was going to charge the wizard anyway. How could he after what he had just seen? He was used to selling people chicken feet and glass crystal balls not seeing real magic taking place. He sat down and wondered whether all this was just a dream. It seemed too real. He got up and walked over to the door and flipped the sign to 'closed'.  
  
Gandalf rushed through the streets checking the signs as he went. Strangely he knew exactly where he was going even though he had never been on these roads before. He glanced up at a sign about his head and saw the bold H on it. He knew that this was where Gimli, Legolas, Merry and Pippin were and he almost ran there ignoring the strange looks he got from people. He checked each sign as he got closer and closer to the hospital. He hoped he wasn't too late and that the four members of the Fellowship were there.  
  
If they were and he managed to meet up with them then all he had to do was find Aragorn although he naturally assumed that he had already gone to the New Forest. That only left Boromir. He had no idea where to find him. He had not the time to check when he was in the magic shop looking into the round ball the keeper used for a paperweight. However, Boromir would probably try and find the Ring bearer anyway which meant that he would probably look in the town where he landed. Gandalf hoped he could get to them in time.  
  
He had very few powers left now after he had given them away to Bob in Isengard. It was worth it though to know that they had a chance of getting back to Middle Earth. He raced towards the hospital praying that the four Fellowship members would be there still. He hoped they hadn't left yet after all it had been several days since they had been spit up.  
  
He finally reached the hospital and wasted no time in rushing in through the open doors and to the nearest desk with people behind it. He caught his breath quickly and said something that the man said he couldn't understand. He breathed heavily and tried again.  
  
"I'm looking for people. They are friends of mine and it is of vital importance that I find them. Three are very short and may look a little strange to you and the other is tall and slim with blond hair and was possible carrying something on his back. Please, have you seen them?"  
  
The man looked shocked for a moment and then shook his head.  
  
"No I haven't seen anyone like that but I'm sure I'll notice when I do. Do you have any idea how many people are brought in here every day? Hundreds. I suggest that you go search for your friends seeing as I couldn't tell you anything anyway seeing as your not family." The man said hardly taking a breath.  
  
Gandalf felt his anger rise and grabbed the man's shirt and pulled him up so his feet were off the ground.  
  
"I suggest you go and find them and fast. I do not have time to listen to your excuses now go before I get angry." He growled.  
  
He let the man go and he quickly rushed off to find people who matched their description. Gandalf walked over to a row of seats and sat down. It was the first time he had had to properly rest since all this begun. He leaned back with his head against the wall and closed his eyes.  
  
When he opened them he saw the man standing in front of them and just coming up behind him were the four members of the Fellowship. All looked incredibly pleased to see a familiar face. Legolas came forward first and held out his hand for the Wizard who took it and allowed himself to be pulled up. He shook Legolas' hand and looked at the other three. They all looked different although he couldn't explain it.  
  
"We have no time to waste. We must get to the New Forest." They all looked at him with confusion on their faces. "I have not the time to explain. First we must find Boromir and take him with us. We must hurry time is running out. I would say we have less than an hour." He was already walking away as he said this last bit.  
  
The others followed him knowing better than to ask any questions. They raced out of the building but before he could go any further Gandalf was pulled back by a firm hand. Legolas had stopped him from walking out into the middle of a road.  
  
"There may be a faster way to find Boromir and get to this place you were talking about. These things with wheels are fast and there are many around. It would save us time." Legolas was already walking towards one of the cars. A man was just getting into it but stopped when he saw Legolas running towards him. Legolas grabbed them man before he could go anywhere and held him up against the car with his silver dagger to the man's throat.  
  
"I will not hurt you. Do you know a place called the New Forest?" The man nodded not knowing what else to do. "You will take us there in this machine, do you understand?" The man nodded again.  
  
Gandalf, Merry, Pippin and Gimli walked quickly over and jumped into the car ignoring the man's threats of calling the police, whoever they were. The man reluctantly climbed into the driver's seat and started the car. Most of them were used to this by now and did not find it too upsetting and Gimli and Gandalf were far too concerned with finding Boromir to worry about the moving vehicle.  
  
They were soon on the road and heading into the town. Gandalf was looking out of the window watching the strange objects flying by; he wished he had some idea of where Boromir was. Just then he had an idea.  
  
"Stop the car." He shouted at the driver who quickly pulled to the side of the road. Before the others could ask any questions Gandalf was sat on the pavement next to the car. The others also got out and Legolas made sure he kept hold of the driver in case he decided to run. They watched Gandalf as he muttered some words in a language unknown to them. Soon he had that look about him that told the others that there was some magic working in him. He stood up silently and went to get back into the car.  
  
"We must leave now. I know where Boromir is." He said as the car started.  
  
Soon they were heading towards the location Gandalf had specified. The car slowed when they saw the familiar figure of Boromir walking along the path. All of the Fellowship members sighed in relief when they saw him but their relief was too sudden because they saw the woman he had next to him, they also saw how close the two were.  
  
The car pulled over and the passengers piled out. Boromir was instantly aware of them and was making his way towards them with a pleased look on his face. They met up and just looked at each other for a moment as if making sure they were seeing what they thought they were seeing.  
  
"It's good to see you again my friend." Gandalf finally broke the silence.  
  
"You too. I have been looking for you for days. I was beginning to believe that I would never see any of you again." He smiled. Then said seriously, "Where is Frodo?"  
  
"Frodo is in a place called The New Forest. We must reach there fast if we wish to return home. Are you ready to leave?" Gandalf said and looked over at the woman. Boromir followed his gaze.  
  
"This is Maria she saved me a few days ago."  
  
"Boromir we must leave now." Gandalf said.  
  
"She can help us, she knows where this place is right?" Maria nodded. "And she has a way of getting us there seeing as yours just drove off I think we will need it."  
  
"Very well, she will take us but not come too close. We cannot risk her getting hurt."  
  
Boromir nodded although a little reluctantly.  
  
**  
  
They finally reached the edge of the New Forest. Boromir kissed Maria goodbye and thanked her for everything she had done. He didn't want to leave her but he had no choice. The only other alternative was to take her to Middle Earth, which would be far more dangerous for her besides Gandalf would never let him do that. He kissed her once more and whispered something in his ear that none of the others could hear.  
  
Finally he was ready to leave and as they walked off into the forest Boromir turned and said his final goodbye to Maria.  
  
"You may see her again." Legolas said hoping to make Boromir feel a little better although he was certain that he hadn't done much good. They walked further into the forest not knowing what to expect or where they were going they just hoped they were heading in the right direction although Gandalf had assured them that he knew what he was doing.  
  
**  
  
Aragorn and Fred's father were racing through the forest now, somehow Aragorn had picked up feint tracks in the soil and he was on their trail. The marks were getting fresher which meant they were near by. Fred's father rushed to keep up with the fast Ranger, he could feel that they were getting close but he couldn't help but feel nervous about what they would find.  
  
What if they found everyone dead?  
  
What if Fred wasn't there?  
  
What if.?  
  
He knew he shouldn't think like that. He must just hope that everything would be alright and his daughter would be there waiting for him and laughing at him for being so concerned. That was Fred but he couldn't bring himself to think like that.  
  
Suddenly Aragorn stopped. He looked around at the bushes and his eyes stopped on something that Fred's father couldn't see. He stood silently.  
  
"Do you hear that?" Aragorn asked, a hint of excitement in his voice.  
  
"Hear what?" Fred's father still couldn't hear anything.  
  
"That. I know that voice. Frodo." He smiled and ran off in the direction of the voices. Fred's father followed even though he still couldn't hear anything.  
  
They ran into a small clearing and what they saw shocked them. Frodo and Sam were there and there was another girl that Fred's father recognised as Ned. She was lying on the ground with blood seeping from a wound on her shoulder. Frodo was pressing his cloak up against it desperately trying to stop the bleeding although he wasn't doing a very good job. Ned was shouting instructions at him and trying to stay conscious.  
  
Frodo jumped when he saw Aragorn but let out a heavy sigh of relief when he realised who it was.  
  
"Aragorn. I thought you'd never come." He said. "Please, you must help her, she was stabbed. I think the knife was poisoned."  
  
Aragorn snapped into action. He knelt down next to Ned was fighting to keep her eyes open, she was so relieved that Aragorn was there at least he knew something about healing unlike Frodo who had been completely useless and very panicky. She got the feeling that although Aragorn had probably come as fast as he could and that he was a skilled healer, he was too late but she didn't say anything.  
  
"Hello." He said politely as he pressed the cloak down harder against her wound.  
  
"Hi." She replied not really wanting the pleasantries. "Good to see you. We thought you'd never come."  
  
"The others are on their way I don't know how I know but I have a feeling Gandalf is leading them here. We have to get back to Middle Earth."  
  
"I know, that's what we've been trying to do. Fred." She was cut off by a wave of pain that shot through her body. She screamed and tried to control the pain but it wasn't working very well.  
  
"Rest." Aragorn said compassionately as he touched her head to feel how hot she was. That must have been the affect of the poison Frodo had talked about. He couldn't help but think that it was too late; there was nothing he could do. He didn't tell any of them this and carried on trying to help her. "It's Ned isn't it?" Ned nodded. "Ned, I need you to stay awake for me. Do you understand?" Once again Ned nodded knowing that that was a lot to ask. She hadn't slept much in the past few days and all she wanted to do was sleep.  
  
Fred's father came towards them and bent down next to Aragorn.  
  
"Ned is Fred with you?"  
  
Ned looked at him. She tried to think straight. "Fred. And Bob. Oh my God I almost forgot. They're not here, she went to save her."  
  
"Who went to save who? Ned please I need to know this."  
  
"Fred, she was taken by a Wraith. Bob went to find her."  
  
"Taken by a what? Where did they go?" He was asking desperately.  
  
"Middle Earth. The Wraith took Fred and we tried to find a way to Middle Earth but we couldn't. Eventually Bob came up with the idea of letting herself get caught. They went to Orthanc. Fred. They did terrible things to her, Bob saw it and felt it so she wanted to help."  
  
"How long ago?" Fred's father asked trying to fight back the tears. He didn't understand much of what was going on.  
  
"I don't know." She said.  
  
Just as Fred's father was about to ask more questions people appeared from the trees. He recognised them instantly. The rest of the Fellowship.  
  
Gandalf went straight to Aragorn who was still trying to help Ned, he looked at him and a look of relief passed on the faces of both of them.  
  
Frodo was pulled away and was soon talking to Merry and Pippin. Sam was looking on amazed at what was happening but happy that everything was going to be alright.  
  
"She was poisoned. I don't think she'll make it but I have to try. What of you?" Aragorn whispered so as not to alert Ned.  
  
"I have been searching for the Fellowship for days and it is only through magic that I found any of you. I saw that you were near the New Forest and that Bob and Fred were here also. I have told them what they must do and hopefully we shall soon be back in Middle Earth and on with our quest."  
  
"You mentioned my daughter. Fred. Please tell me is she alright?"  
  
"Your daughter? I do not know. She is not well but the last time I saw she was alive. I have been helping her and Bob in their quest. She has saved a lot of people and will save many more if this plan goes as I hope. You should be very proud of both." He smiled and patted him on the shoulder.  
  
Ned screamed again and interrupted the conversation. Aragorn pressed harder on the wound but the blood wouldn't stop. She had already lost too much. There was nothing he could do. No matter what he tried he couldn't stop the bleeding. She began to close her eyes and Aragorn whispered soothing Elvish words into her ear. She closed her eyes and felt a sudden sense of relief. She hoped Bob and Fred would be alright. She felt her breathing slowing down.  
  
Aragorn watched as the breathing stopped and there was nothing but silence in the clearing. Everyone stood still and looked at the still body of Ned. Frodo fell to his knees and wept whilst the others stood silently not knowing what to do. Legolas walked over and placed a spare blanket over her body.  
  
Ned was dead. 


	33. the final battle

Disclaimer: I own nothing Tolkien has created although I often wish I did. Especially Frodo.  
  
A/N: I know this has been going on for some time but it's over so enjoy the last chapter.  
  
Ch 33 The final battle  
  
Fred cowered in a corner as Saruman and Bob fought. It seemed like it was perfectly normal for Bob to be so powerful but Fred had never seen anything like it. It was so powerful that she was sure that one of them would die eventually and she prayed that it would be Saruman and not Bob. They threw each other to the floor with nothing more than a wave of their hands. It was strange and frightening to see and Fred was glad that she wasn't caught up in the middle of it although she feared for her friend's life.  
  
Bob knocked Saruman off his feet and he fell to the ground with a thud but was soon up again and threw Bob up against the wall. She fell to the ground and looked over at Fred who was shaking uncontrollably. Surprisingly Bob smiled and got to her feet much to Saruman's surprise who had thought he had finally defeated her.  
  
"Is that all you've got?" She said as she wiped blood from her mouth. She didn't know how much longer she could keep this up even though she did feel very powerful.  
  
Saruman smiled and the fight began again. Fred didn't want to watch she shut her eyes tightly and ignored the tremendous pain this caused her left eye. She wanted to just sink back into the walls but she knew that was impossible. She heard a loud crash and opened her eyes suddenly.  
  
At first she couldn't see anything. There was a thick wall of dust clouding her already poor vision. She knew that something big had happened but she didn't know who had won the fight or what had happened. She peered through the dust and saw a figure walking confidently towards her. Her first instinct was that it was Saruman and she cowered further into the corner and covered her face with her arm knowing it would do much good. She expected him to pull her up roughly but instead she felt a light hand touch her shoulder and someone gently say her name.  
  
"Fred. Are you okay?"  
  
Fred instantly recognised that voice Bob. She let her arm fall down and was relieved to find that it wasn't a trick and that Bob really was kneeling in front of her. She studied Bob's face for a second as if making absolutely sure that it wasn't fake. When she realised that it was true she threw herself forward and cried in relief. She didn't want to let go of her friend. It had been so long since she had felt even remotely safe and she didn't want to feel threatened again.  
  
"I thought you'd never come. I thought I'd be stuck here forever." She sobbed into Bob's shoulder as her friend tried to comfort her and stop her shaking. She was trying to help Fred but also keep herself from breaking down in tears; she had to complete her mission. She had to destroy that Orb. She gently motioned for Fred to pull away which she did.  
  
"It's going to be alright now. I'm going to get you out of here. We have to leave now, I'm not sure how much longer Saruman will be unconscious."  
  
"What happened to you? Why are you so powerful? Not that I'm complaining."  
  
"Gandalf contacted me through my dreams and told me what to do. He also passed some kind of magic onto me but we have to do one more thing before we can leave then I'm getting us home. You wouldn't believe how hard this has all been."  
  
"I can't believe you're here. After the.box incident I didn't think you'd come back."  
  
"I know. I'm sorry about that. I thought it would be better if I did it rather than one of those Orcs. I couldn't tell him about Frodo. You know that."  
  
"It's okay you did the right thing although I can't say I'm pleased that you nailed my hands to a box." Fred almost laughed.  
  
"We have to get going. I don't know about you but I can't wait to get home. One night in that cell was more than enough. Can you walk?"  
  
"I can try." Fred smiled. She was determined to get out of Orthanc. "I can't see very well though." She shivered as she remembered what had happened.  
  
"I know. I felt it. I'll explain later." Bob said at Fred's confused look.  
  
"There's someone we have to get out of here first. He's in the dungeons. He helped me out and I promised I wouldn't leave him behind. It's not far down the corridor plus he knows his way around Orthanc."  
  
"Good. We could use a little help. Come on." Bob helped Fred up and supported her when she found that she wasn't quite as strong as she had first thought.  
  
They stumbled through the room and out into the corridor. They were quickly confronted with two armed Orcs. Bob turned so Fred was out of the way and she held out her hand and the Orcs were instantly on the ground unconscious.  
  
"Hey, that's pretty clever." Fred smiled as they stepped over the Orcs. Fred was trying to walk without Bob's help and was succeeding although she was still a little unsteady so Bob kept an arm around her waist for support.  
  
They quickly reached the cells and Fred showed Bob where David was. Bob easily broke the lock and Fred stumbled into the room to find David sat on the bed with chains around his ankles. He stood up when he saw Fred. Bob went straight over to him and broke the chains. David stood up and threw his arms around Fred who leaned against him. They kissed quickly and passionately as Bob looked on in surprise. She smiled when Fred looked over at her.  
  
"You must be the infamous Bob. I'm David" He bowed slightly. "Fred said you'd come but I didn't believe her. I suppose I owe you an apology." Fred smiled at him and leaned against him when she suddenly felt dizzy. "She needs to rest." He said sitting her down on the bed and looking at her.  
  
"I wish we had time but we need to get out of here now. I don't know how much longer Saruman will be unconscious. The sooner we break that Orb the sooner we can get out of here and help Fred. Then we can rest."  
  
David didn't like that but knew that there was nothing he could do and nodded. He picked Fred up easily and stroked her hair. She leaned her head against his shoulder and shut her eyes.  
  
"Come on. I need to find Saruman's private quarters do you know the way?" Bob asked walking out of the door.  
  
"Yes but this whole place is crawling with Orcs. We didn't make it last time what makes you think we can do it this time?"  
  
"Because this time you have me. Just keep Fred safe and show me the way to that room and I'll deal with the Orcs." She said as David showed her which corridor to go down. Bob strode confidently ahead whilst David gave her instructions on which way to go.  
  
Along the way they encountered several Orcs but they were no problem to Bob, she just held out her hands and they were instantly on the ground.  
  
"Who are you?" David asked in amazement.  
  
"I told you. I'm here to rescue you. Maybe Fred's stories about me are true." She smiled and noticed Fred smiling tiredly back.  
  
They sharply turned one corner and were faced with a group of about thirty Orcs all lined up with weapons waiting for battle. Bob stopped. A few Orcs was okay but there was no way she could handle thirty of them then she also noticed Saruman come out from behind them. Bob and David turned to go the other way but ten more Orcs were blocking that way. That made forty. There was no way she could deal with forty Orcs and Saruman.  
  
David carefully put Fred down but kept a firm arm around her waist in case she fell.  
  
"I can't take them all out. I'll deal with some of them and Saruman and you and Fred will have to do what you can with the others." Bob whispered.  
  
"Good to see you again Fred. I didn't think I'd see you again but I'm so glad I have. And you've brought young David along as well. How sweet. Tell me David did you like watching you true love being tortured? I think you did." Saruman snarled.  
  
David was about to rush forward in anger but Bob held out a hand to stop him and he was frozen to the spot. Saruman smiled.  
  
"There's no point. He'll only kill you. Leave him to me." Bob said never taking her eyes off Saruman. "Are you alright Fred?"  
  
"Yeah." Fred said trying unsuccessfully to keep the quiver from her voice.  
  
Saruman smiled and suddenly gave his order to the Orcs who rushed forward to the three companions. The ones that came too close to Bob were killed instantly but her main priority was to get to Saruman. She wanted him to pay for what he had done to both her and Fred. He wasn't going to get away from this although she knew she couldn't kill him, she couldn't change the timeline that drastically. Even so she headed towards him as he stood waiting for her.  
  
David knocked an Orc over the head and grabbed it's weapon and handed to Fred who was looking terrified. She held it tightly as he knocked another Orc to the ground and took its weapon. He grabbed Fred by the shoulders and said,  
  
"Kill as many as you can and stay alive. If you can't get out of here and hide somewhere and I'll come and find you. You understand? And Fred be careful."  
  
"You know me." She smiled.  
  
"That's what I mean." He smiled back. He kissed her quickly and attacked an Orc that came upon him. Fred did the same and was surprised that she could conjure up so much energy. She slashed at the Orcs as best she could although she quickly felt the tiredness settling in but she was determined not to leave her friends to do this alone so she ignored it and carried on. Soon her weapon and her were covered in the black blood of the Orcs although she took no notice of it. She wanted to kill them all but knew there was no way she could do that. She also noticed that their numbers were not getting any less, no matter how many she killed more took their place.  
  
David had also noticed this and although he was doing slightly better than Fred he was beginning to doubt that he could do much to help. He too was covered in black blood of Orcs but also a little of his own red blood. He tried as best he could to stay close to Fred killing any Orcs that came up on her left that she couldn't see. He wouldn't let them hurt her even if it meant dying himself.  
  
It seemed there was no end to the amount of Orcs that came at them. They were all heavily armed but as of yet had not hurt Bob, Fred or David. The floor of the hall was almost completely covered in the thick black blood of the Orcs that the three people had killed but still their numbers didn't fall. Saruman seemed to have an endless supply. David's attempts at protecting Fred were failing, she had already been cut across her arm but she knew it wasn't too serious. David himself had been hurt.  
  
Bob, however, was still strolling through the Orcs like they were nothing to worry about. Whenever she touched one it just fell to the floor dead. Her main aim was to get to Saruman even though it meant leaving Fred at the mercy of the horrible creatures. Saruman was the most important thing and she couldn't afford to let him go. She just hoped that Fred and David could handle all the Orcs that where bound to come to this spot.  
  
Saruman just stood there waiting for Bob to reach him but wanting her to work her way through the Orcs as if teasing her. He knew that the Orcs wouldn't stop her but there was a certain satisfaction in watching them try to kill her even if there was no way they could succeed. He smiled when he saw her coming towards him.  
  
Finally Bob reached Saruman and the Orcs seemed to move away so they would not interrupt the two with their fighting. Bob and Saruman stood face-to- face not saying anything and just staring at each other. Neither knew what was going to happen next and both wanted to make the first move. Bob was beginning to feel that same hate coupled with extreme power she had felt in the room before. She felt that power and hate rising and had to restrain herself to stop herself jumping forward.  
  
"I know what it is you want." Saruman said having to shout above the noise of the battle.  
  
"What's that?" Bob replied also shouting.  
  
"You want the Orb. I can't let you have it I'm afraid. If I gave it to you I would have nothing to work with. You should have taken your friends out of here while you had the chance, I'm afraid now they're going to die no matter how powerful you are I don't think you can bring them back to life." He smiled.  
  
"I don't think I'll need to bring them back to life. Get these Orcs out of my way and I'll consider letting you live." She tried to sound threatening but obviously it didn't work because Saruman laughed.  
  
"If I know Gandalf, and I think I do, he has already told you that you can't alter the timeline. That means you can't kill me."  
  
"Maybe not but I can do far worse." Bob knocked Saruman to the ground and a few Orcs near him also went down. This wasn't going to be as easy as she had first thought.  
  
Saruman got to his feet quickly and said,  
  
"We're not going to go through all this again are we? It was so boring last time."  
  
"As I recall I won." Bob smiled.  
  
"Yes, a mistake that I will now rectify. You may not be able to kill me but I can do an awful lot to you." He tried to strike Bob down but she moved just in time.  
  
She held out her hand and Saruman stood paralysed. He looked frightened but angry. Bob turned round quickly and tried to find her friend. She saw Fred and David struggling with many Orcs. She knew that they couldn't fight all of them on their own and thought the least she could do was help them. She held out her hand and almost two dozen Orcs fell to the floor dead. Also the steady flow of the creatures joining the fight had stopped although even Bob couldn't explain that. Through the gap that now filled the hall Bob could see Fred and David looking tired but still fighting with the Orcs that remained. However, Fred gave her a slight smile of thank you and continued fighting.  
  
Bob swung round and looked at Saruman who was still frozen to the spot, Bob smiled at the frustration on his face. She had won - again.  
  
Fred and David were so relieved when Bob had made some of the Orcs die but they were exhausted and there were still many Orcs to deal with although their numbers were rapidly dropping now. There were only about ten left. David was doing most of the work but Fred was trying her best and had already slain a good number.  
  
Finally they were dealing with one each. Fred threw her sword over the neck of hers and it's head and body fell to the floor separately. She noticed that David was having more trouble with his so she ran towards them and slashed at the Orc's back. David finished it off by sticking his sword through its heart. He stood silently for a moment and let his sword fall to the floor with a noisy clatter. Fred did the same.  
  
Both Fred and David were too tired to move for the moment and just looked at the piles of Orcs that lay around on the blood stained floor. The battle was over. David and Fred looked at each other and rushed into each other's arms. David held Fred tightly and kissed her hair ignoring the bitter taste of Orc blood that still remained.  
  
Bob walked over to the two and left them for a moment. They finally parted and looked at Bob who was also covered in blood although hers was red not black. Fred quickly looked for her injury and found a gash across her side. She looked into Bob's eyes and didn't see any pain.  
  
"You're hurt." Fred said pointing to her wound.  
  
"I'll be fine, it's just a scratch. Well done with the Orcs. This place looks more like a graveyard now. We had better go. I don't know how long that thing will hold Saruman."  
  
With that they all ran off towards the room where they knew the Orb was being kept. Bob opened the door and walked straight inside killing the two Orcs standing guard of the Orb. She walked straight over to the deep red ball. She looked inside it and saw the swirling of the inside. It was amazing, like nothing she had ever seen before. She wanted to reach out and touch it but something told her that it would be too dangerous so she left it alone.  
  
"What do we do with it?" Fred asked also entranced by the Orb.  
  
"We smash it. Then it will send the others home." Bob replied.  
  
Fred nodded and then thought about what Bob had just told her. Suddenly it hit her, "What do you mean send the others home? Can't we all go?"  
  
"When you break the Orb the thing kind of explodes and sends out a pulse strong enough to send the two standing furthest away home but also strong enough to kill the one closest. The one smashing it. That means that one of us is going to have to smash the Orb to send the other two home." Bob hated telling them this but knew they had to know.  
  
"Then what do we do?" Fred asked knowing that she was going to lose one of them but not wanting to face up to it. She hoped there was another way but secretly she knew there wasn't.  
  
There was silence.  
  
"I'll break it." Fred finally said quietly. David almost fainted when he heard this.  
  
"No you won't. I'm not letting you kill yourself so I can go to a place that will be hell without you. I'll break it." Bob knew this was going to take some time.  
  
"I think you already know what I'm going to say. The truth is only one of us can break it and we are running out of time. We must decide now." Bob wished she didn't have to do this. "Listen, I am stronger and I have more chance of pulling this off than you. Let me do it."  
  
"No. You're my best friend and I won't let you die. I will do it. I will only slow you down if I go with you."  
  
"This is getting us nowhere. Like Bob said we are running out of time. Fred there is no way I'm letting you do this. Bob you're right you are the most powerful and Fred is going to need your help. I'm the only one that doesn't belong in your world. I'll do it. It makes sense, you know it does."  
  
"No. No you can't. David please, there has to be another way. Bob?"  
  
"There is no other way. I hate to say it but David's right. He doesn't belong on Earth and we do. If he comes with us he could change the whole timeline for Middle Earth. We can't risk it. I'm sorry." Bob said.  
  
"No. David you can't do this." Fred screamed trying to make him see sense.  
  
"I have to. You'll be alright. Go. Fred go." David nodded at Bob who nodded back and pulled Fred back away from David and the Orb.  
  
"All you have to do is smash it so it breaks on the ground. Good luck." Bob smiled sadly.  
  
Fred screamed at David begging him not to do it. She was struggling to get away from Bob who was holding her tightly. She finally managed to get free just as David was about to pick up the Orb. She ran towards him and he opened his arms. She threw herself into his embrace and held him tightly sobbing into his tunic. He held her tightly allowing his own tears to fall. He gently rocked her hoping to calm her down although it wasn't working.  
  
"You know this has to be done. I have no choice. You are everything to me, if it means that I have to die so you can live then so be it." He cried.  
  
"I don't want to lose you." She sobbed.  
  
"I know but this is the right thing to do you know that."  
  
"I love you." She whispered.  
  
"I love you too. More than you'll ever know." He kissed her hair and held her out in front of him. He bent down and kissed her softly. She returned the kiss wishing that it would never end. He pulled away and looked at her one last time brushing a strand of hair away from her tear-streaked face. He kissed her one last time and motioned for her to go and join Bob. At first she hesitated but then realised there was nothing she could do so did as he instructed.  
  
She met Bob who stood and watched David pick up the Orb. She could hear Fred softly crying next to her. David looked at Fred one last time and smiled. He mouthed the words 'I love you' and held the Orb above his head getting ready to smash it. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see his death and brought the Orb down hard and fast to the floor.  
  
There was silence for a moment as everything went into slow motion. The Orb shattered into a million pieces on the floor and an orange light spread out around it like a visible shock wave. This light was closely followed by a burst of fire that was so intense that it killed David as soon as it hit him. He still had his eyes closed as Fred watched him be engulfed in the orange flame.  
  
Fred and Bob just stood still watching what was happening. The shock wave pushed past them sending them reeling back but they forced themselves to remain standing. The fire killed David and sent a wave of heat flowing over them. The last thing to happen was a giant flash of bright white light came over them and blinded them. After that everything was silent and black. They were on their way home.  
  
**  
  
In the New Forest the same white light had appeared and Gandalf was motioning the other members of the Fellowship towards it. They each stepped into it and disappeared. They too were on their way home. After the last member of the Fellowship was through two figures appeared in the place of the light. It died down until it was nothing more than a gentle wind blowing.  
  
Fred and Bob were still standing with their eyes closed and as the harsh wind that accompanied the blast died down they opened their eyes and allowed them to adjust for a second. They were in the New Forest again. They stood still for a moment not quite believing what had happened or that they were home. Neither said anything but Bob looked over at Fred who was looking into space in disbelief. When she felt Bob watching her she turned her head and looked at her friend. Bob smiled knowing that Fred would not return the gesture.  
  
Finally Bob came to her senses slightly. She took a step forwards and turned round to look at Fred who was still stood in the same position. This was the first time Bob had a chance to look at her friend properly. She was extremely pale and shaking all over. He left eye was closed and red and she had numerous cuts and bruises on her face, neck and arms. Her face was covered in both red and black blood as well as dirt and tears. She wasn't standing up properly and looked as if she was about to collapse. She looked tired and scared although Bob was sure there was a slight hint of relief there as well.  
  
She reached forwards and touched her friend's arm. Fred looked at her and inspected her friend's wounds. Bob had a small cut on her forehead and a large gash on her side. She too was covered in both red and black blood and looked exhausted. The relief was more evident in Bob's face than it was in Fred's.  
  
"Come on let's get out of here. I want to go home." Bob said quietly making Fred look up.  
  
Fred nodded numbly and walked forwards slowly and tiredly. Bob walked beside her making sure she went at the same pace as Fred. They weren't far away from the place where Bob had left Ned, Frodo and Sam but the walk seemed to take a long time.  
  
Eventually they reached the clearing where Bob had left them. Fred's father had gone to get help. Bob looked around hoping to find Ned near by. She couldn't see her anywhere. Fred walked to the other side of the clearing. She screamed when she saw Ned's pale face under the blanket. Fred fell to her knees and cried.  
  
Bob came running towards where Fred was and stopped suddenly when she saw Ned.  
  
"Oh my God." She whispered moving closer so she was stood behind Fred. "I shouldn't have left. This is all my fault." She kneeled down next to Fred and looked in disbelief at the body of her friend.  
  
They sat there for almost an hour trying to come to terms with the fact Ned was dead. Finally Fred stood painfully up and walked over to a fallen tree and sat down.  
  
"Do you think we should stay here until someone finds us?" She asked Bob who was copying her actions.  
  
Bob sat down and said, "It's getting dark so we can't go anywhere anyway. I could really use some sleep and I'm sure you could too." Fred nodded. "Good. We stay here and move in the morning."  
  
Fred nodded again and moved onto the floor. Bob did the same and closed her eyes; she opened them again when she felt Fred looking at her.  
  
"Is that what I think it is? Mithril?" Fred asked.  
  
"Yeah. I found it in my cell. It was leant to me by a very kind Dwarf."  
  
"There was someone else in your cell?" Fred questioned.  
  
"I didn't say that. It was before I got all those powers and I didn't know what to do. I found this skeleton in my cell and he had this vest on so I thought I'd borrow it. I didn't think he'd mind."  
  
"You stole off a dead person?"  
  
"I didn't steal, I borrowed besides I needed it more than he did. What was I meant to do just leave it there for some Orc to find and sell? I used it for good so I took it."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"I found something else too. You remember when we were at school and Ned was reading that book and you had an obsession with a ruby dagger?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well the Dwarf didn't have a ruby dagger but he did have a ruby medallion. I thought we might get stranded in Middle Earth so I thought we could use it as a bargaining tool but I don't think we'll need it now."  
  
"So let me get this straight, you not only stole the Dwarf's armour but you also stole a ruby medallion to sell in case we needed it? Don't you think that's a little.morbid?"  
  
"No. We would have needed it. I'm sure he would have wanted it put to good use anyway."  
  
"And good use is taking it and selling it so we can have a slice or two of bread?"  
  
"At the time yes. I didn't know any of this was going to happen." Bob said defensively.  
  
"Hey, I'm not saying you did wrong. I would have probably done the same thing too." Fred didn't want to upset her friend.  
  
"I'm sure you would have. We should try and get some sleep."  
  
"Do you want me to take a look at that wound for you? It might still be bleeding." When Fred said this Bob couldn't help thinking about Ned. The whole stitching incident seemed like years ago but she couldn't get it out of her mind. She felt a tear run down her cheek.  
  
"Are you okay?" Fred asked sitting up ignoring her own pain.  
  
"Yeah. I was just thinking about Ned. She asked me to stitch up her wound. The one Frank gave her."  
  
"Frank?"  
  
"It's a long story." Bob almost laughed.  
  
"Here, I'll try and make a bandage and stop that bleeding." Fred said. She crawled over to one of the Hobbit's bags and pulled out a spare blanket and went back over to Bob. "Do you think the Hobbits are okay?" She didn't get a reply and realised Bob was asleep. She smiled and set to work cleaning the wound.  
  
Soon the wound was covered and the bleeding had stopped. Fred laid back and looked up at the stars that now filled the sky. She thought about all the terrible things that had happened to her. It was strange, she still felt the intense pain that filled her body but it no longer seemed to matter any more. She thought about David, how he had risked her life to save her, how much she loved him and how much he loved her. In a way she almost missed Orthanc, she missed curling up into those strong arms and falling asleep. She missed waking up and seeing his handsome face. She missed talking to him. She even missed seeing him worry about her when she was brought back from Saruman's torture chamber.  
  
Fred couldn't believe that she was actually missing that terrible place. The thought that she was doing something good was what kept her going, that and the hope that someone would find her and rescue her. There had always been hope, it's what kept her alive, and David of course, she couldn't have survived without him. She had neither of these things any more. No hope and no David. What did that leave? The thought of returning home? She didn't want that. She would go through all of that again just to be with David a few more minutes.  
  
She felt the tears falling again but refused to make them stop. She wanted him back but there was no way. How could Bob have done that to her? She had taken her away from the man she loved. No, she couldn't allow herself to think like that. Bob had saved her. Without her she would still be being tortured. Strangely that was appealing. Had the whole thing driven her mad? She was beginning to think so.  
  
She was startled when she heard a voice. She looked down at Bob but she was sleeping soundly. She listened again and again she heard the voice. It was still fairly distant but she thought it was getting closer. She heard it again and this time heard what the voice was saying. "Fred." They were calling her name. She was about to shout back when something jumped on her.  
  
Her first thought was that it was something bad. She screamed loudly, enough to alert the rescue team where she was. She looked down at the thing and saw a little red squirrel. Bob sat up and looked across.  
  
"Percy?" She shouted. The squirrel jumped off Fred and leapt towards Bob. Bob held it in her hand. "I never thought I'd see you again." She smiled.  
  
"Bob? Are you talking to a squirrel?" Fred asked confused.  
  
"Percy saved us from Frank. He's a hero."  
  
"And you called him Percy?" Bob nodded happily.  
  
Just at that moment people burst through the trees and towards the two girls and the squirrel. Percy ran off into the trees and left Bob and Fred looking surprised at the people rushing towards them with blankets. Fred's parents came running towards her and held her tightly causing her to shout out in pain. She was quickly joined by a paramedic. Bob's mother did the same only Bob just hugged her back crying softly in relief. A paramedic helped her up and she stood with his help.  
  
Bob watched as Fred was taken into an ambulance by stretcher. She smiled. They were safe at last. She ran from her mother and jumped into the ambulance with Fred, she wasn't going to leave her friend now. She smiled at her and Fred smiled back. They held hands refusing to be separated by the paramedics who were telling them they would have to move.  
  
Soon they were on their way to the hospital. It was all over. They were finally safe.  
  
**  
  
Just beyond the trees a small grey figure stalked making sure he wasn't seen. His big bright eyes shone in the dark and he made slight grumbling noises. It seemed the spell hadn't been entirely broken after all.  
  
Gollum remained on Earth...  
  
**  
  
A/N: I hope you liked the final chapter. Thanks to everyone that's reviewed. Look out for the sequel coming soon. 


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